


Unexpected Love

by 5h41grl07



Category: Tekken
Genre: Action & Romance, Age Difference, Drama & Romance, F/M, Interracial Relationship, My First Work in This Fandom, Spiritual, Unconventional Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 06:36:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 147,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5h41grl07/pseuds/5h41grl07
Summary: [Just wanted to say a quick thank you to the few lurkers out there ( especially those that gave kudos)! I see you lol!] Tekken fanfic centering around Kazuya and Jin. Other Tekken characters will also be featured.  This story contains romance, a bit of drama and action, but also includes a rather unconventional couple.  All I ask is that you have an open mind and be respectful. If you can do that, please give this story a read! This is just fanfiction!  Anyway, I decided to write this because I didn't agree with how the games portrayed Kazuya after the 2nd tournament (plus he needs love lol) and that Heihachi truly is a bad guy.  Period.  Hope you enjoy!





	1. Unexpected Love: Ch. 1

_ _

_[a/n:the beginning of this story is a little cringey, I admit lol. But it gets better! ]_

_[DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tekken or any of its characters! I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment purposes...no money is gained!]_

"**O**h Monica, I can't believe you're actually going to Japan! Are you sure you wanna do this?" Monica's mother exclaimed, a hint of anxiety sounding in her voice.

Monica turned to her mom with a sympathetic smile and grabbed her hands. "Mom, yes I wanna go. I'm tired of the same ol', same ol' here. Besides, I'm gonna have my friends with me for awhile."

Her mother let out a small sigh, but managed a smile as well. "Alright then. You have been cooped up here in the US. And, you're not a child anymore."

She attempted to make it sound like it wasn't a big deal, but Monica could still see the shadow of worry in her parent's dark eyes. The teen squeezed the older woman's hands to add some comfort.

"Pardon me, ma'am. But if you're planning on catching your flight, I suggest you get going," came an urgent, yet polite voice.

Monica and her parent faced the source of the voice and saw the service agent standing there. They both nodded before reverting their attention to each other.

"Well mom, I guess this is it," said Monica, excitement building inside her.

"OK,sweetheart. You take care over in that country. Don't get lost, you hear?" Her eyes began to water with unshed tears.

"Right,I won't." Monica gazed at her mom for a moment, noticing how moist her eyes were. "...And I'll be comin' back, mom. So please don't be so upset! I'll see you in a few months."

"Bye,honey!" Her mother kissed her goodbye on the cheek and released her hands.

Monica pulled her travel bag along, trotting into the walkway behind her 3 friends as she waved. Her parent stood and watched her go, returning the wave. For some reason, she had a feeling that her daughter was _not _returning home.

*

_[a/n: eh, I didn't see a real need to change their speech habits. I think it adds more character and makes them seem more realistic. A lot of southerners talk without using a 'g' on the end of some words, use 'ain't' often, etc. Anyways, on with the story.]_

"Oh...my...goodness,"mumbled Alexis, one of Monica's travel companions. Her eyes were wide as she stared out the plane window. "Look how high up we are! And my ears feel funny."

Alexis was of Irish descent, with ruddy hair, freckles and baby blue eyes. She was the youngest (18) and wildest out of the 4 girls. She had a slight fear of flying because of watching the news so much, not that she was a couch potato. Her hobbies included drinking, smoking pot and partying. She also liked to go snow boarding during the winter.

Monica nodded after checking the view herself. "Yeah, we are kinda high. But at least it's a nice view. The ocean looks so pretty up here." She glanced at her friend, watching her rub her ears, and giggled. "You want some gum, girl? Looks like you're havin' probs over there."

Monica was 19 years old, of African and Native American heritage. Her mother was African American, her father Cheyenne. She possessed amber eyes and jet black hair. Her parents were separated 5 months ago. Her father moved back near his relatives in Georgia. He made sure to keep in touch with Monica throughout the months. The girl practically expected her parents to separate since they argued often and couldn't agree on most decisions. They had been married 21 years.

The redhead nodded fervently. "Please! It's hard to hear anything!"

Monica reached into her jean pocket and fished out a stick of gum, before handing it to her distressed friend.

"Yo,how long are we gonna be on the plane?" asked Crystal, in her seat across from the girls.

"I think for about 4 hours. Then we gonna make a pit stop in California for like an hour break. From there, we're goin' straight to Japan,"answered Monica.

Crystal was also African American. Her eyes were large and dark brown,lending her a startled appearance. She was the eldest out of the group, being 20. Unlike Alexis, she disliked smoking and drinking,but was willing to attend the occasional party. The girl was street-wise and friendly; a real people person.

Lisa sighed. "Good. At least we're getting' a break. Japan is so d*** far." She then popped her gum loudly.

Lisa was the same age as Monica, a Puerto Rican that tended to have a sassy mouth. Her eyes were very dark and her hair was brown,streaked with blond. She carried a scar on the left side of her face from one of the several fights she'd been involved in. The young woman used to be very brash and aggressive, yet improved her attitude after the incident. Her hobby was...flirting with boys and shopping,the latter being a common activity with Monica.

"Got that right," agreed Crystal, teasing her ponytail absently. "But,hey, I heard it's so much to do in Tokyo. So it'll be worth the trip, ya know?"

"...True." _Pop,pop!_

"And stop poppin' that gum so hard! It's startin' to give me a headache,"Crystal complained, half-serious.

"Oh, my fault."

Just then, the pilot's voice boomed over the speakers: _"Attention ladies and gentlemen. We will be arriving in Los Angeles, California in approximately 3 ½ hours. Lavatories are near the back of the plane, as well as the center. Refreshments will be served during the flight. Enjoy the ride and thanks for flying Japan Air!"_

"Oh we get to actually eat on the plane? That's great!" exclaimed Alexis. "I didn't get to eat much before I left."

"Um,actually it's only gonna be really small stuff. Like a little bag of peanuts or something like that. They might give us some water too,"Monica informed with a dramatic sigh.

Believing her, Alexis sucked her teeth and leaned back against her chair. "Oh man! Now I'm gonna have to wait for almost 4 hours. That sucks!"

Monica looked her over and smirked. "I hope the pilot flies this thing a little faster, because I don't want you to disappear on me," she joked, referring to how thin the girl was.

"Ha,ha! Very funny!" the redhead retorted sarcastically. She nudged Monica with an elbow and grinned.

"Ouch! Watch that thing, it's sharp!"

**

Over 15 hours later, the pilot's voice returned once again: _"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? We have arrived in Tokyo,Japan and will be preparing to land. We ask that you remain seated during this time until further instructions are given. Thank you."_

Lisa smiled upon hearing the announcement and stared up at the ceiling. "_Gracias, Dios_!"

Alexis looked across the aisle at her and grinned. "Amen to that! I can't wait to get off this plane!"

They became silent after feeling the plane lose altitude, butterflies fluttering in their bellies. Alexis squeezed her eyes shut.

"I don't like this part," she murmured nervously.

"Chill,we'll be on land in a minute," assured Monica, patting the girl's clenched hand.

Soon their ears felt the change in pressure as the plane hovered closer and closer to the runway. A slight bump jolted the aircraft a little, signaling the success of the landing. A few of the passengers grunted from the contact.

The airplane rolled along the asphalt, its velocity slowing down dramatically before coming to a halt at the walkway.

"_Attention all passengers, we have officially landed. Welcome to Tokyo, Japan. If you have any luggage in the storage compartment, please remember to claim it in the pickup area located in gate 5. again, thank you for choosing Japan Air. We hope you enjoy your stay!"_

_'I'm sure we will,'_Monica thought to herself.

A moment later, a flight attendant appeared in the aisle.

"OK,folks, exit is toward the front of the plane," the middle-aged woman told them, pointing behind her. "Don't forget your belongings. Unboard the plane in an orderly fashion."

Immediately,the passengers stirred to life, talking excitedly and grabbing their items off the storage shelves overhead.

"Well,we're finally here...safe and sound. It took forever," Crystal said, stretching her arms while she stood. "I hope we got a decent hotel."

"I know, right," Lisa agreed. "And this place is probably expensive as hell."

"Maybe not, Lisa. I heard compared to the US, Japan's cheaper," informed Monica.

"Hmm. Somebody did their homework, huh?"

Her friend glanced back at her and smiled.

After picking up their bags, the group headed to the information desk. Luckily the directory signs were not only in Japanese, but also English and a few other languages. When they found it, they asked for a travel brochure and hotel listing so that besides having an idea of where to go to find their hotel, they'll know where the hotspots were.

"Y'know,"Monica began, looking through the hotel listing, "I'm dreading lookin' for a place to rent. Thankfully we booked double rooms so I can stay at the hotel with ya'll for a little while, but push come to shove...what if I have to spend thousands of dollars to stay there trying to find a place?"

"Yeah,I don't blame you for worrying," agreed her Caucasian friend. She then took the booklet out of Monica's hands and started searching through it.

Crystal got an idea. "Well, let's ask around for a place that's for rent?"

As they began throwing ideas around, a young man came striding near them, wearing a white tee and loose, faded jeans.

_[a/n: the timing was perfect, I know but didn't feel like changing the whole scene lol]_

"Hey,excuse me! I need to ask ya something, if you got the time?" the tall girl questioned hurriedly, touching his arm as he passed.

The man slowed to a stop and spun around to face her. Crystal and the others gawked at him for a brief moment, unprepared for how attractive he was. It was a native, with dark brown hair that spiked up in the back. A few bangs hung over his forehead and he had a set of deep brown eyes that seemed to hypnotize, if you dared to gaze into them. He stood about 6 feet, with a fit, muscular body—definitely football player material, yet he moved with more grace. His visage held a mysterious, charming demeanor.

The corner of his mouth quirked into a small smile as he approached them.

"Yes?" he asked in his smooth, lightly accented voice.

Crystal swallowed, her heart rate sped up slightly. "Um...we're obviously not from around here, and my friend needs a place to rent. Do you know of any around here?"

The man's eyes seemed to light up somewhat. He looked down briefly in thought, then shrugged nonchalantly. "I sure do," he replied,locking eyes with her. "It turns out that I have a place which has 2 bedrooms. ...I always thought about getting a roommate so that I could split up the rent." Sharp eyes scanned the group of girls,before they returned to Crystal. "Which one of you is trying to get a place?"

Monica timidly stepped out of the group. "...Me," she replied meekly.

When it came to handsome guys, she was the most bashful of the crew.

The young man's smile widened when he saw her.

He nodded and said, "_Konnichi wa_. Do you think you'll be interested in sharing a place? I know we're not acquaintances, but I promise I am no criminal or anything like that, in case you're wondering."

A grin appeared on his lips.

Monica smiled at his joke. She looked over at Crystal (the mother hen of the friends) for her thoughts. The elder woman studied the Asian guy fora moment before giving a subtle nod at her.

"Uh,yeah. That'll be a good idea."

Her ears picked up on her friends' faint squeals among themselves.

"OK,great! I'm Jin, by the way...Kazama Jin. What's your name?" he introduced, extending his hand.

Monica gingerly accepted his hand and shook it. "The name's Monica Hohanonivah."

_'That last name doesn't sound like a typical American name. Interesting...'_Jin mused privately. "Nice to meet you, Monica. And who are your friends there?"

Monica stepped aside and told him, "That's Crystal...Lisa's behind her...and this is Alexis."

Jin nodded. "Hey, ladies."

The girls all grinned and replied, "Hi, Jin!"

"Listen,I hate to drag you all back outside, but there's a friend of mine I gotta meet. She's coming in from China. I don't want her to get lost or anything," informed Jin.

"Oh...well all right. We'll follow you then," Monica said.

"_Arigato_...I mean thanks. Let's go."

As they started following him, Lisa nudged Monica and mouthed the word'hot', then fanned herself. Monica stifled a laugh. Crystal and Alexis whispered excitedly to each other about Jin. When they walked by a crowd of natives, they all stared after Jin, pointing and eyes wide with admiration. Monica wondered about this, so she asked Jin.

"Hey, Jin? Why is it that people are starin' at you like you're some type of celebrity?"

Jin sighed and shook his head, making his sharp bangs sway from side to side. "Oh that. Well, I come from a line of well-known karate fighters...even if I don't like to be related to my _yaro_ of a grandfather. We're all part of the Mishima bloodline. We're highly regarded in Japan."

Monica furrowed her brow at the word _'yaro'_, but chose not to ask, guessing it was probably an insult. She heard the name Mishima though. "Oh really? What a coincidence, we happened to ask you for a place for rent! So, is that guy Heihachi your grandpa?"

Jin nodded, frowning. "That's him."

Lisa trotted up on his other side. "You 2 don't like each other or what?" she questioned, noticing the slight anger in his tone.

"No,we don't. It's a long story, I'd rather not bring it up at the moment though." He stopped and glanced up at the flight arrival board. Xiaoyu's flight was just now coming in. "OK, we have to meet her outside gate 12. She is here."

Jin led the crew outside and patiently waited for Xiaoyu to unboard the plane. Lisa took the opportunity to ask a question.

"Jin, is this girl your girlfriend or somethin'?" she asked sweetly.

The male glanced at her, looking like he couldn't believe she just asked such a question. "No. She's a friend, as I said. I have no girlfriend."

That comment made Lisa's day. She leaned closer to Jin. "Oh yeah? Kinda hard to believe...a fine guy like you being single." She ended the sentence with a wink. "I'm single myself."

Jin edged away from her, appearing uncomfortable. "Err...that's nice,I guess."

Alexis rolled her blue eyes heavenward. Lisa was the biggest flirt she knew! She grabbed Lisa by the arm and pulled her away to save the Japanese man. "You're coming on a wee-bit too hard, don't ya think?" she muttered.

Crystal glared at her Hispanic friend as well. "Yeah, you're scarin' the poor guy away!"

Lisa placed her fists on her wide hips with a huff. "OK, OK! D***, I can't help it if the man is hot!"

Just then they heard Jin shouting.

"Xiaoyu! Hey, Xiaoyu over here!" He waved his arms to get her attention.

The gang watched as a petite, pig-tailed Chinese girl came jogging over to them with a large travel bag slung over her shoulder. She wore a black, white and pink track suit. The young woman reminded them of a little girl, but that was what made her cute.

"Jin!"she cried as she got near them. "Nice to see ya again! I'm glad you were able to meet me here. What's going on?"

"Oh not a lot. But I met some new friends—one of them is going to be my roommate," Jin answered with a small grin. He gestured to the girls. "They're from America, I think. Xiaoyu, I want you to meet Monica, Crystal, Lisa and..." He paused, gazing uncertainly a tAlexis. "What's your name again, I'm sorry."

Alexis chuckled, a faint blush creeping onto her face. "I'm Alexis, silly."

"Right. Alexis!"

Xiaoyu scanned them with a smile. "Hi you guys! Welcome to Japan! This your first time here?"

"Yes,it is," Crystal replied. "We're here for a part of summer vacation. Monica's stayin' till August."

The Asian girl nodded. "So, Monica, you're the one that's going to be Jin's roommate, huh?"

Monica smiled awkwardly. "Um, yeah. I decided to take up the offer since it's gonna save me a lot of money. Besides, it'll only be for a few months."

"Oh,cool. Maybe you and I can get to know each other a little better. I came here for summer vacation myself. I have some relatives that moved here 2 years ago..."

Jin stopped focusing on the conversation and instead focused on the group of girls. They were an interesting mix: 2 African girls—though one looked exotic—a red-haired white girl, and a Hispanic. He already figured out their main personalities. Lisa was surely the flirtatious one, Crystal was ringleader and most friendly, Alexis was carefree, and Monica was shy. The lookers of the group were Alexis and Monica. The Caucasian teen's bright azure eyes and wavy red hair were attention-grabbing. The only setback was her lack of curves since she was so thin. Monica's long, shiny hair and dazzling smile were what Jin first noticed. She was a bit thicker than what Jin was used to, yet she definitely had the curvaceous body thing going on.

As for Crystal, she wasn't bad-looking, but if it weren't for her large eyes and forehead, she'd be a cutie. The main thing Crystal had going on for her was her long legs, because she was close to his height. Now for Lisa...she was short and a bit on the plump side. More woman than he could handle in his opinion. Anyway, he was probably going to like having Monica as his new roommate. Even though neither she, nor Alexis were Japanese, he wouldn't mind dating either one.

Then there was the young Xiaoyu, his friend of sorts for 4 years. She was kind of cute, but a little too hyper, and at times annoying for him. Certainly someone to keep in the friend zone.

"...Jin!? Yo, Jin?! Are you there?!" aforementioned female yelled near his ear.

Jin snapped out his trance and blinked at Xiaoyu. His ear rung from her loud voice. He rubbed it, a grimace appearing on his face for a moment. "Uh...yes. Yes, I'm here," he replied sheepishly. "Sorry, I was thinking about something."

The young women giggled at him.

"Looks like somebody had a little too much on his mind, right?" Alexis quipped, cuffing Jin on the back.

He glanced at her, face flushing from embarrassment.

"OK,_Jin_, what I asked was 'are you ready to get these girls to their hotel?'" Xiaoyu repeated, crossing her arms. "Your friends need to relax, they had a long flight."

Jin ran a hand through his hair. "I guess you're right." Turning to Crystal, he asked, "What hotel are you booked at?"

"We're at the Tokyo Inn. I hope it's not dirty!"

The martial artist simpered at the remark. "No, it shouldn't be. But you chose well...it's about 15 minutes away from here."

***

Afterwards,the group went to Jin's home. It was in a nice section of town, one of the recently renovated townhouses. Each room was well-furnished,with a man's touch. The American women were highly impressed at Jin's taste in décor.

"Wow, Jin, you didn't tell me you was living in style!" commented Monica, her face full of admiration. "This is a nice crib."

Jin chuckled and shrugged. "Well, I don't think it's all _that_." He pondered at why she called his place a 'crib', but figured it was slang for 'house'.

"Oh Jin, you're just bein' modest," Crystal chimed in. "It's great, really."

"Thanks."

Xiaoyu leaned against him playfully a moment. "Yknow Jin, you seem to have a prob with self-confidence at times. It's like ya can't accept a compliment!"

Jin dropped onto his recliner. "Well, my mother always taught me to be modest. I only got my looks from my father, thankfully."

"Your looks aren't the only thing you got from your father..." she softly reminded him.

The young man gazed up at her briefly, then cast his brown eyes downward. He heaved a sigh and said, "Don't remind me."

"Is...everything OK, Jin?" Alexis cautiously pressed.

Jin sent her a small smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just not proud of my Mishima blood."

Monica, Xiaoyu and Lisa sat down on the sofa across from Jin. Crystal and Alexis plopped onto the loveseat.

"So...um, Jin? Where's your mom at? She live in Tokyo?" Monica interrogated.

Jin's dark head bowed as if in reverence. "...No. She's no longer with us. She was killed when I was about 15 or so."

The info set the room in a state of gloom. "Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that."

Deciding to change the topic, Lisa spoke up, "Ahem...um, what's your father's name?"

"Kazuya. He lives across town somewhere, in a mansion. He got all this money from G Corporation." Jin began to think about something. "Oh,that reminds me, he might be fighting tomorrow at a small tournament. Because of popular demand, the fighter that defeats all the other opponents gets to fight my father." Jin shook his head. "I don't know why people were foolish enough to fight him. He doesn't usually go easy on anybody, regardless of skill. Whoever ends up fighting him will be in for a beating!"

"Your dad must be some fighter!" Crystal remarked.

"Yeah, he is."

Monica became interested. "Wait. You said he'll be fightin' tomorrow? Can we come along and watch the tournament?"

"Umm, sure. I didn't think you girls would be wanting to see something like that, but OK. It will be starting around 3:00 and tickets will be free for us, since I'm his son. I get a lot of leeway in this country."

All of a sudden, there was a loud chime being heard inside the den with them. Everyone except Jin jumped in their seats with a start; a small scream escaped Alexis' lips. As the chimes continued, they realized it was Jin's clock, resting on the wall above Crystal's and Alexis' heads.

Their host allowed a throaty laugh to bubble out his mouth at their reaction.

Xiaoyu scowled at him. "Jin, that's not funny! I thought you got rid of that thing! It's so annoying!"

Jin's laughter died down. "...No, I still got it. I think it's kind of cool." He surveyed their faces, a laugh threatening to erupt. "_Kami-sama_, you should've seen the looks on your faces! That was pretty funny!"

Monica and the others blushed in embarrassment. Xiaoyu, however, rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.

"Well,it's 10:00. I better get going. My aunt is probably worried about me," said the pig-tailed teen with a huff.

Jin glanced up at the clock, still smiling about their reaction. "Hmm, I didn't know it was this late."

"Yeah,I guess time flies when you're having fun," Crystal agreed.

The Japanese man stood. "All right, I'll escort you all to your destinations then." He looked over at the demi-Native American. "You coming or staying here?"

"I'm comin'. I'm not quite used to this place to be staying by myself."

Alexis made a little girl face. "Aaaww, you scared to be awone?"

Monica chuckled and pushed her playfully. "Oh stop it!"

****

"That was some good eatin' at that restaurant, man," Monica commented, following Jin back into the house.

"Yeah and we only had to pay a fraction of the price. I guess being a Mishima has its perks..." Jin responded.

"Got that right! But the funniest part was when the waiter discovered your full name. Ha, ha! His eyes just bugged outta his head!" She chortled and got near Jin's face, pretending to be the waiter. "Jin!? ...Kazama Jin!?" Monica threw her hands up in the air,leaning back slightly. "_Wa Sugoi_!" she shouted, her eyes wide as saucers to imitate the waiter's expression.

Jin began cracking up at her imitation. "_Kami-sama! _That guy was just too much. He had the whole restaurant staring at him!"

Monica laughed heartily and wiped a tear from her almond-shaped eye. "Aw man, that was a good laugh. I needed that."

"Yes. So...would you like to see your room now?" Jin asked, picking up her discarded, maroon luggage bag.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot about that for a minute."

She followed the handsome man up the flight of stairs. There was a door that greeted them at the top of the steps. Jin opened the door and flicked on the light.

"This is the bathroom, just thought I'd let you know where it was..." he informed, stepping aside so she could take a peek.

Monica nodded her approval at the black and white theme and clean appearance. Jin certainly had good taste when it came to house decorating and furnishing. Not only that, but the place was actually immaculate. When did guys start keeping their homes so neat? Her male friends back at home could learn a thing or two from Jin.

AfterJin turned the light out, she was pleasantly rewarded by a soft bluelight that emitted from the clock hanging on the wall.

The young male turned and walked down the hall, stopping briefly by another door to shut it. He looked at her with a smirk.

"My room. You don't have the privilege to check it out yet," he told her half-jokingly.

Monica scoffed at him, letting him continue on without her a little before she grasped the knob to open it.

"_Onna-san_,no peeking!" Jin suddenly ordered.

She looked up to see the karate fighter eyeing her with a mock stern expression. The girl chuckled and released the knob to catch up to him. He stopped at a 3rd door, which was already opened,then walked inside. The Japanese turned on the lamp to lighten the room.

"This is your room. Kinda bare right now, because I only used it as a guest room. 1 person had slept in here before. I changed the sheets after she left however."

Monica gave him a sideways glance. "And, that would be...Xiaoyu?"

He blinked and smiled. "Yeah. You know me already!" He studied her and noticed a sly glint in her golden eyes. "And no, we did not do anything."

Monica laughed as Jin rolled his eyes, setting her bag down.

"I swear you and your little friends like to tease me about Xiaoyu. We're friends and nothing more!" He folded his arms across his broad chest and tilted his head slightly to the side, an act he unconsciously inherited from his father. "Did you _ever_ see us act like we are romantically involved?"

The American pretended to think about it. "Hmm, yeah! Plenty of times!"

Jin scoffed and waved her away. "_Damare, _you know you haven't," he retorted half-seriously.

"I know, it's just fun to tease ya."

He stretched and yawned. "Well, I sure am tired! You need anything before I head to my room?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks anyway, Jin."

The man nodded before bowing shallowly. "See you in the morning then. Good night."

"G'night."

He left out the room, shutting the door behind him.

Monica began feeling somewhat tired herself. She gazed around the room,appraising its décor. It wasn't bad, just needed someone to spice it up.

She then dug into her travel bag and took out her pink and white pajamas, washcloth and toothbrush. After she changed and brushed her teeth, she crawled into bed. Once she turned the light out, she lied in bed for a moment, still in a little disbelief that she was in Japan, far away from her home, friends and family. This was the farthest she had been away from home, ever. Despite the intimidating realization, she found herself smiling softly.

Before falling asleep, she muttered a quick prayer of thanks and protection to God.

Unknown to her, a young man was lying in his bed, thinking about her.


	2. Unexpected Love: Ch. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Kazuya...

[a/n: Apologies for the spacing between words and some punctuations for last chapter (and probably from now on). I guess apparently when you copy from a document things get a little out of whack... Anyways, this chapter has a little more action.]

[DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tekken or any of its characters! I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment, no money is gained!

"**M**onica, follow me!" Jin yelled. "Hurry up before the storm comes!"

He was well ahead of her, standing long enough only to make sure she began running towards him, before he took off. Monica glanced up at the darkening sky, watching as dark blue clouds started rolling in from all directions. A distant clap of thunder sounded from the west side. Returning her eyes down and to her left, she saw a fence of black metal bars that surrounded a large lawn. The house—or mansion—was much farther ahead. When she looked ahead to check her progress, Jin was even more distant, the space between them growing quickly. It was as if no matter how hard she ran, she never managed to narrow the gap between them.

"Jin! Jin, wait up! You're runnin' too fast!" Monica cried breathlessly.

The young Japanese fighter just glanced back and replied, "C'mon, there's no time!"

At that moment the light from the sun was completely blocked by storm clouds. Monica observed them swirling around slowly as if a tornado was about to form. They were the darkest clouds she ever seen. Lightning flashed among them,creating a few more crashes of thunder. It was becoming very dark outside.

The demi-Native American's intuition told her that this was no ordinary storm and she was actually beginning to be afraid. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest as she ran with all her might. Way ahead, Jin pushed open the tall gate of bars and ran across the large lawn to the house. By the time Monica got near the gate, he was already on the porch waiting for her.

Unfortunately, when she attempted to approach the gate, it slammed shut with a loud clang. Monica leaped back in shock. She pushed the gate but it didn't budge.

"Monica! Please, hurry! You gotta hurry!" Jin hollered nervously.

As Monica pushed on the gate, the rain drops began to fall to land. They were slow at first, then sped up within a matter of seconds. Another boom of thunder echoed through the humid air. Surprisingly the teen did not get wet, it was as if the rain was falling _around_ her.

Ignoring this, she shoved the gate with much more strength, this time managing to slowly open it. With relief, she dashed towards the mansion. After she got within 50 feet of the home, Jin was abruptly pulled by an invisible force through the open door that stood behind him.

"Nnnooo! Monica!" screamed Jin as he was taken away, the door slamming closed.

"Oh my goodness! Jin!? Jin?!"she called.

Before she even managed to place her foot onto the steps, a bolt of lightning flashed just 6 feet in front of her, creating a charred spot where it struck. The intensity violently shoved her backwards.

Unexpectedly, a loud, evil laugh erupted above her. She whirled around, chills running down her spine and looked up. A dark silhouette with wings and gleaming red eyes floated in the air.

"Going somewhere?" it asked inits incredibly deep, wicked voice. "You are too late!"

All of a sudden the thing came swooping down at her with a mighty roar...

«

Monica's eyes flew open as a small cry issued out her mouth. Her brown-gold eyes frantically glanced around at her surroundings for any threats. Glad that she was safe in her temporary bed, she breathed a sigh of alleviation and rested a hand over her racing heart. Thank God it was just a scary dream!

The young woman sat up, fully awake and smelled something delicious. She hummed at the aroma, stretching her arms and legs. After retrieving her toothbrush out of her bag, she opened the door. The faint sounds of frying reached her ears from the kitchen. Was Jin actually cooking?

Once she freshened up in the bathroom, she returned to the bedroom to make a phone call. Thankfully, Jin granted guests the convenience of a telephone in the room. Monica dialed the number to her home in the US then held the phone to her ear. After the 3rd ring, it was answered.

"Uh,hello?" came her mother's suspicious voice.

Monica smiled at the sound and guessed her mother had been looking at the caller ID.

"Mom,what's up?! It's Monica!"

There was an intake of breath on the other end. "...Monica?! Oh Lord,Monica I'm so glad to finally hear your voice again! How is Japan?!"her mother shouted eagerly.

The girl winced a bit and held the phone away from her ear a little. "It's great, mom! I like it here a lot. There's so much stuff to do here."

"That's good, baby. Where are you stayin' at? Please don't tell me you're at a hotel?"

"Oh, no I'm smarter than that, mom. I lucked out and got to share a nice place with one of the natives here. He's really nice and--"

"What you say? _He_? Uh-uh, Monica! What are you doing, staying at a _man's_ house!? What if he tries something funny?!"

Monica allowed herself to laugh heartily. Sometimes her mother's overreacting was hilarious.

"No mom! He's a real nice guy, believe me! All the girls like him and think I'll be just fine living here after they leave." The brown-skinned girl paused briefly. "If he really was a bad guy, he could've tried something last night while we was alone."

That last thought was sobering and made her realize how...vulnerable she truly was here without anyone to help. Nevertheless, her gut told her Jin just wasn't that type of person. He may have some secrets—as most do—but he was honorable.

Her mother sighed in defeat. "All right. I suppose he really is a decent person then. I still want you to come home. I'm not used to you being outside the country."

Monica rolled her eyes, yet smiled. "Mom, I told you I'll be home by the end of summer vacation... But how's things at home?"

"Things have been good. Nothing exciting happened as of yet. But your father asked about you earlier. He was a little upset you didn't take your cell over there."

"Aaw, dad, I guess I should've brought it along. But I'm thinking of getting a pre-paid cell to have while I'm over here. Tell him I love him and miss him. I'll make sure to call him another time."

"That would be a good idea. Oh...and listen to what he had the nerve to say. He said that he was thinking about me lately. Ain't that a trip?"

Monica gasped. "Seriously?"

"Yes, he did. I didn't believe him at first but he was telling the truth."

"Wow. So you think there's a chance you and dad might get back together? I mean, it's nice seeing the other relatives at the reservation but I rather dad be with us again..." The teen's voice sounded wistful towards the end, yet she managed to keep the disappointment of the situation at bay.

"I...don't know for sure. We'll see what happens, OK? I noticed we haven't been arguing as much as we used to nowadays."

"Well, I'll have to pray for you 2 then." She sighed. "Anyhow, I'm gonna get going now. Tell grandma and everybody I said hi!"

"Oh all right, I sure will sweetheart. I have to meet up with Donna at the cafe anyway. It was good to hear that you're OK, check in with me again sometime. Love you!"

"I love you too, mom. Bye-bye!"

"Bye, honey!"

Monica hung up the phone and sat pondering about her mother and father's relationship. Maybe...just maybe they would mend things between them and get back together. It would be fantastic if they became 1 happy family again.

Snapping out her thoughts, she threw her fluffy slippers on and went downstairs. Sure enough, Jin was in the kitchen frying up some eggs and pancakes.

When he saw Monica, he said, "Good morning! Glad to see you're finally up! Did you sleep well?"

Monica smoothed her lengthy tresses down (absently regretting not wrapping her hair up before bed) and smiled warmly. "Uh, yeah I did. Thanks."

She strolled up to his side, her slippers making a _skush, skush_ sound as she dragged her feet.

"How did you sleep?" the girl questioned, glancing into the sizzling pan.

Jin continued pushed and scraping the eggs around. "Oh I slept just fine."

After the eggs were finished, he scooped them onto a waiting plate of pancakes.

"I know you like eggs and pancakes, _ne_?"

Monica nodded, her amber eyes never leaving the plate. Her stomach growled with anticipation. "You bet!"

The Japanese man chuckled lightly at her reaction. He turned the burner off and took the plate with him over to the table.

"Please, sit," he instructed, pulling out a chair with a free hand.

Monica was mildly impressed that Jin cooked for her, as well as sat her down like a gentleman.

"How nice of you to do this, Jin," she commented with gratitude.

"No problem. I mean, this is your first morning here. It's the least I could do."

After a quick prayer of thanks before buttering their hot cakes and pouring syrup over them, the 2 ate in silence. Monica's dream came to mind so she took the opportunity to share it with Jin. When she wrapped it up, he appeared to be very interested, his dark eyes intensely fixed on her.

"Hn, some dream that was. That silhouette..." He gazed down at his plate so that she wouldn't see the worried expression. "It sure rings a bell."

Monica stuffed a forkful of pancakes in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. After swallowing she asked, "You mean you dreamed about that thing too?!"

Jin quickly covered his true feelings with a mask of indifference. "Well, no," he answered, returning his orbs to her caramel face. "But it certainly reminds me of somebody I know...very well."

The American watched him eat for a brief moment, her curiosity provoked even more.

"Family member?" she suddenly questioned.

He paused. "...Yes," he bluffed.

"Wanna tell me about it?"

"Uh,no. I'd rather leave it alone. Very touchy subject, OK?" he told her, his voice taking on a defensive edge.

Monica blinked. "Oh, all right. Fine with me, if it bothers you liket hat!"

The native sensed the tinge of offense in her tone and sighed.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I...didn't mean to respond that way to your question."

She nodded gingerly. "I understand. Some things are better not talked about."

They finished up their meal and cleaned up after themselves, not saying anything. Finally, Jin broke the silence.

"Well, today we're going to see that tournament that you guys wanted to watch. You know...the one with my father fighting the winner?"

Monica's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, right! Yeah, we gotta go see your dad. I wanna meet him too." She scratched her head in thought. "What time it start again?"

"3:00. I'm surprised you forgot about it, as much as you wanted to see the tournament."

He led her out the kitchen, into the den, glancing up at the clock.

"Hm,it's quarter 'till 12. Maybe we should get showered and dressed while we can. It's going to take us awhile to get to that tournament."

¢

Couple hours later, both were on the subway, heading to Tokyo Inn to pick up Monica's friends. Jin was looking comfortable with his black and white sweat shorts and matching hoodie. Monica sported a knee-length jean dress. When they reached the hotel, the other Americans were already waiting in the lobby for them. Alexis was the first to notice the pair.

"Oh you 2 finally got here! We almost thought you forgot about us!"she exclaimed merrily, trotting up to them. "Don't you guys look cute today?"

Jin shrugged as Monica smiled. "Well, thanks."

Presently Lisa and Crystal came jogging over to the trio.

"Hey cutie!" greeted Lisa, staring at Jin.

"...Hi, Lisa."

Monica nudged Lisa and gave her a look that said _not now_, then noticed how the Hispanic teen's tank top was a little too snug over her large chest. She sighed inwardly with amusement.

"What's up, y'all? Are y'all ready to go or what?" Crystal asked excitedly.

"Yeah. We gotta get a move on 'cause it's already 2:35 and the tournament is at 3:00!" replied Monica. She began guiding Jin towards the doors. "C'mon, we're gonna miss like half the fights!"

Wasting no time, the rest of the girls rushed out the doors after them.

»

The tournament was already in session, cheers being heard outside the doors. About 20 odd people, including Jin and the women, were lined up at the entrance. On either side of the doors were 2 security guards, eyeing every person that entered the room.

Jin led his female followers up to the doors with an air of confidence. A stocky ticket master greeted him. At first he peered into the younger male's face with curiosity, then his black eyes lifted from their glare. A smile curled the corner of his mouth.

"Kazama Jin?!" he asked with rising excitement.

The son of Kazuya nodded curtly.

"_Wow, what an honor this is to have both father and son here with ust oday!"_the ticket master exclaimed in Japanese, his torso bowing in respect. _"Please, come in!"_

"_Thank you..." _Jin gestured behind him. _"The 4 ladies are also with me."_

The elder man glanced at the group of girls then nodded in acknowledgment, stepping aside. Jin looked back at them.

"It's OK, you're with me. Come on," he informed them in English.

They entered the bustling room of spectators and gamblers, searching for an available bench. As they walked up the stands, a few people would call out Jin's name and wave. He regarded them with a nod.

Soon they found a partially occupied bench 6 rows up from the front. They sat down and immediately gazed into the ring to see what was going on. A tall, thin man with a crew cut was duking it out with some guy in a white karate _gi_. The crew cut appeared as if he was tiring out. He didn't look Asian, but nearly American. A tattoo of a flag on his right arm revealed that he was Russian. One of his eyes was somewhat swollen and his lip was cut and bleeding. A bruise also stuck out on his left cheek. The man in the _gi was _Asian, his dark hair pulled into a low ponytail. He too was somewhat exhausted, though he had more pep than the other. A dribble of blood ran down the side of his mouth, yet that was all that was visible of his injuries. Besides the injuries, both were perspiring heavily.

Presently karate _gi _dodged crew cut's high kick and caught his foot. He twisted the foot at an odd angle, breaking the ankle as the other man cried out in agony. Some of the audience members cringed at the sound. Following that, the Asiatic male backed up before running towards his opponent to deliver a drop-kick to his chest. The tall man's cry was cut short on impact as he was sent flying backwards, out the ring. He remained where he landed, groaning loudly and holding his broken ankle.

"_The winner of this round is Cheng Fai Wong!"_boomed the announcer in Japanese, who was sitting at a nearby table with a few judges.

Cheng bowed to the audience gingerly as most cheered, others boo'd him that made bets on the Russian. The martial artist traipsed over to the sidelines, holding his side. Apparently he received some type of blow to his ribs during the battle. A medical team helped the other man onto a stretcher before hauling him off through an exit.

"Guess we missed most of the fight," observed Monica.

"Oh gosh," piped up Lisa. "I already know these fights are gonna be kinda brutal."

"Yeah, these are like the underground fights. The rules here are a little more bendable than at official tournaments," Jin replied. "Don't be surprised if you see more people's bones get broken. They're a little more bloody as well."

Alexis sighed. She wasn't too fond of seeing a lot of blood.

Crystal checked her watch. "It's already 3:40. How long is the tournament, Jin?" she questioned.

"_Ano_, about 3 hours. So it should be over around 6."

"_Next up, is _Khali lAli _against _James Hornback," the announcer yelled over the mic.

A bald and buff James approached the ring, followed by an Arabian Khalil. The crowed cheered lightly for them, some clapping louder who were fans of one of the men.

Monica snickered as she studied James. Next to her, Crystal looked over and nudged her with an elbow.

"What're you laughin' at?" the elder girl asked.

The long-haired teen stopped and faced her friend. "You mean you didn't notice?"

Crystal's eyes darted to the ring for a brief moment then returned to Monica. "...No."

The younger woman leaned closer to her ear. "I'm laughing at his head. Don't it look kinda big?"

Her friend scoffed, but gazed at James' round, bald head. She giggled herself. "Oh, yeah. That _is _a big a** head there!"

They both tittered again, Jin and the others wondering what was so funny.

Soon the referee explained the rules to the glowering men, before he backed up and shouted, "Fight!"

§

Over 2 hours went by before the winner of the small tournament was declared. It just so happened to be James Hornback. As a reward, he was presented a check for 2 million yen and...an announcement that he would be fighting the infamous and revered Mishima Kazuya. Upon hearing the announcement, James looked slightly nervous, yet quickly overcame it. He didn't expect himself of all people would be the one to fight the martial artist.

"_Everyone, please welcome Mishima Kazuya!" _came the announcer's enthusiastic order.

A roar of applause sounded as a man wearing a black _gi _sauntered into the room, escorted and flanked by 4 body guards. His very walk demonstrated authority. Like his son, his dark hair was spiked up in the back, except he possessed no bangs. His deep brown orbs were not warm, but cold. He had relatively thick, arched eyebrows and a muscled body. Kazuya did not look like he was in his upper 40's at all. And to top it off, he was handsome. There also was something about him that was mystical, conceited and supernatural. It was as if a super power was hovering around him,invisible to the eye.

Currently, Kazuya's bodyguards departed from him as he made his way into the ring. He threw a fist into the air as he strutted around, earning more cheers.

Monica and her friends applauded as well. They didn't know much about the Mishima's but Kazuya was quite attractive.

"He's so f***** sexy," commented Lisa. "And he's an oldhead at that! What a shock!"

"I know he looks half his age!" Alexis agreed, blue eyes fixated on the man's arrogant face.

"Well, there's my father you're looking at," Jin told Monica, not sounding that happy.

"I see! You 2 resemble each other a lot!" she observed. "...And he's cute too."

Monica looked over at Lisa.

"Yo, Lisa!"

The Latina stopped clapping and gazed in her direction. _"Que paso?"_

"You got your camera, right?"

She thought about it. "Yeah. I got it with me."

"OK, we got a mission to accomplish. I'll fill you in after the tournament!"

The Puerto Rican nodded.

Finally people settled down in their seats as the referee came jogging into the ring. He called the fighters together in the center. James smiled weakly and Kazuya nodded, his face never lifting from its stony expression. While the ref started explaining the rules, Monica asked Jin about his father.

"So, I take it that everybody likes your dad? He had quite an entrance."

Jin shook his head. "No, don't let that fool you. People do like him as a fighter, but as a person...no. His arrogance and coldness keep people from wanting to get to know him. He kind of scares them away." His bottomless eyes fell on her. "That is why he hardly has any friends, only business associates."

Monica hummed and returned her attention to the ring.

By then, the ref was just leaving the ring and the 2 men were squaring up. James started the fight by lunging at Kazuya, attempting to clothes line him. The Japanese man caught his arm and held it down low, his right leg delivering a kick to the side of James' face, only to reverse, kicking him a 2nd time. The powerful kick combo sent the bald man tumbling along the floor.

James shook his head clear and got to his feet. He bobbed over to Kazuya again, keeping his guard up. When he got within striking distance,he threw a jab at the Asian male's face; he dodged it. James threw another one, followed by a right hook. Kazuya evaded again then landed a body shot to the American's ribs. The bald man leaned over in pain before a studded fist connected with his mouth. James went flying back, landing on the matted floor. This time, he took his time getting to his feet, holding his bleeding lips. He spat the fluids out before wiping his mouth with agitation.

So far he didn't land any hits on Kazuya, which was beginning to make him angry. Yet before he realized what was happening, the Mishima came running over to him, swinging. A fist struck him in the face,snapping his head to the side. Another hit the other side. Quickly,he thew his arms up, managing to to block a couple of his foe's attacks. Right after that, James threw a left hook, which actually landed on Kazuya's cheek. He heard the Japanese man grunt and smiled inwardly. James then attempted to land a mid-kick, but that was blocked. In a flash, Kazuya's fists collided into his chest,followed up with a high kick. The American stumbled back but his opponent's arsenal didn't stock there. The karate fighter's legs whirled around in the undisputed Mishima combo and dropped him. He could faintly hear the crowd's cheers amplify. Pain began to increase throughout his body. Kazuya packed some power in his attacks. He was by far one of the strongest opponents he faced.

Kazuya watched his foe crawl to his feet, a grimace gracing the bald man's face. Apparently his attacks were beginning to wear James down. The Caucasian blinked a few times as he stood then glared at the other fighter. Suddenly he came charging at him like a raging bull, ready to spear him. Kazuya thought fast. With good timing, he released a jump kick into his opponent's face stopping him in his tracks. Blood splattered from his nose onto the mat. Following the jump-kick,Kazuya delivered a powerful roundhouse to James' head. The blow sent him spinning to the floor once again. A few seconds went by and James wasn't getting back up. The ref started the count down as the Mishima strolled over to his fallen foe. Before he could react,James' foot went out and swept Kazuya's feet from under him. With a startled curse, the Japanese man fell down onto his rear. The crowd grew quiet, shocked that Kazuya was actually on the floor. James slowly rolled to his feet and stood bleeding, bruised, panting yet smiling. The Asian man narrowed his eyes in ire. The bald American succeeded in humiliating him. And he hated being humiliated!

"_Big headed bastard!" _he muttered in his native language, although some of the fury was directed at himself for being overconfident.

Kazuya jumped to his feet, eyeing his foe. James wasn't going to last long in his condition. Clearly he was weakened and exhausted, while the scarred male was simply moderately tired. Now was the time to finish him off with a bang while he still had enough energy left.

James watched in confusion and awe as Kazuya spun around, getting low, blue bolts of power encircling his sturdy form. When he got near him, the dark-haired man suddenly shot up into the air, fist extended for a grand uppercut. James saw a brief flash of colors before the world went black around him.

The Mishima observed the other fighter's body go sailing through the air before he landed roughly on the mat, rolling along for an instant. His Lightning Corkscrew Uppercut was certainly a force to be reckoned with and was a crowd-pleaser. The audience burst into an enthusiastic roar.

"_And the winner and greatest fighter alive is Mishimaaaa Kazuyaaaa!"_yelled the announcer.

Kazuya held both fists up in victory, the press and some spectators snapping photos of him. Disliking all the cameras, he left out the ring, his guards rushing to his side. The medical staff entered the ring to retrieve the unconscious James.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, the tournament is now over. Thank you for joining us. Have a great evening!"_ the announcer informed.

People were already leaving before he began to speak. Jin and his crew stood.

"That was a great tournament, let me tell ya!" Crystal exclaimed.

"Got that right! Even though it was a shame how some people got beat up!"Monica chimed in.

"It was a little bloody for me, but it was cool," said Alexis,recalling some of the previous fights.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Well you shouldn't have come! I expected the wildest girl of the group to be up for this kind of stuff." Ignoring the redhead's glower, she turned to her dark-skinned friends. "And what about Kazuya?! Was he stunnin' or what?"

"Definitely!"replied Crystal. "That man is a true brawler. I like that."

Jin chortled softly to himself at their comments. _'He may be a great fighter, but his attitude stinks.'_

When they finally managed to get out the doors, the room was half-empty. Outside, most of the cars that jammed the parking spots were gone. People gradually cleared the sidewalks.

"So..."Jin began as they stood outside. "What else is on the agenda?"

Alexis spoke up. "I say we go eat! I am just like, so hungry! My stomach's been growlin' the past hour."

Nobody objected.

"All right, food it is. I know this great place that's buffet style, so you can eat to your heart's content."

"Oh you're the best, Jin," Lisa told him, linking an arm around his.

Jin nodded and smiled awkwardly.

"Hey,Lisa," Monica called, noticing her roommate's expression. "I gotta tell you about our mission, remember?"

"Uh...oh,right! Almost forgot." She scurried over to her friend's side,much to the young man's relief. "So, what's the deal?"

Monica lowered her voice. "Yeah...I'm tryin' to get a pic taken with Kazuya. You down with it?"

"Ooooh, hell yeah! I want one too, so I can show everybody back at home."

"All right, all right sure. C'mon, we're gonna wait for him by the doors."

They began walking away when Alexis blurted, "Where are you two goin'?"

"We'll be back! We gotta do somethin'!" answered Monica.

The 2 friends stood a little ways from the doors, all the visitors no longer inside. The fighters should be coming out any time now. A minute or so later a bruised Cheng came trudging out the doors,followed by his trainer and a couple other fighters. Another 5 minutes passed before a black, shiny limo pulled up alongside the sidewalk in front of the females. They exchanged excited glances,guessing that the limo was for Kazuya. Soon 2 bodyguards exited the doors, glancing around. The martial artist followed an instant later. The girls gasped, feeling special to be so near him. _[a/n:wow these are definitely teenagers lol] _Instead of the black and red _gi_,he wore a grey silk button-up and matching tie, black slacks and polished, grey dress shoes. He cleaned up nicely.

Kazuya was just on his way toward the limo when he heard: "Excuse me, Mr. Mishima?"

He stopped and turned around gingerly. The man had hoped the fans were gone by now. It was 2 young women. The short one was thick. She had blond streaked hair and a small scar decorating her lightly tanned face. Not Japanese, but probably Hispanic. Her friend however was of normal height, curvy with toffee-colored skin. Very attractive even though she was an exotic-looking African girl. These teens had to be Americans.

He gazed at them expectantly, a ghost of a pseudo smile played on his lips. It was during this time that the demon inside him stirred.

"_**Hm. One of **__them, __**I see..." **_it muttered warily.

Before Kazuya could turn his attention inward, the dark-skinned girl stepped forward timidly.

"Uh,hi. I'm Monica...and this is my friend, Lisa. We saw your match and were really impressed." She glanced at her Hispanic partner. "We were wonderin' if we could take a picture with you?"

Kazuya crossed his arms. "So you want a picture? OK, I suppose there's no harm in that," he replied, even if he sounded like he didn't really want to.

The girl, Monica, approached him. The bodyguards started to stop her, but Kazuya intervened.

"_Let her be, idiots,"_he growled. _"Isaid she could take a picture with me, didn't I?"_

The guards looked away, embarrassed. Monica had stopped, looking uncertain.

"It's OK, girl. Sorry about that, sometimes they forget that I'm a martial artist," Kazuya coaxed.

She nodded and walked up to his side.

"You ready?" she asked Lisa.

"Yep. Ready when you are!"

Monica placed a hand on Kazuya's broad shoulder and a hand on her hip with a smile. The Japanese man bristled at being touched without his permission. Didn't she just ask for a picture and not a photo shoot? He sighed inwardly.

"Ready,"she said.

The other girl snapped the picture and grinned.

"Good one. Now my turn!"

Monica left Kazuya's side and took the camera from Lisa, who sidled alongside him. This girl was even more obnoxious, leaning her head against his arm and grasping it. He couldn't believe she was that bold! A frown appeared on his face.

Monica glanced up from the small camera.

"Mr. Mishima, can you smile please? Make the picture look good, y'know?"

Kazuya raised an eyebrow in slight annoyance and anger, but gave in and smiled weakly. He will be glad when they leave him alone.

The girl finally snapped the picture. Lisa let go of his arm, while the Japanese male brushed the creases out of his sleeve.

"Thanks, Mr. Mishima. We appreciate that," thanked Monica.

She grinned and extended a hand to him, which he shook firmly with a nod.

"You're welcome," he replied, unconsciously admiring her smile.

"Maybe we'll see you around sometime. Well, gotta go now...later!"

They trotted away, waving like a pair of school girls. Kazuya held a hand up in farewell, watching them go. At least the annoying pair was gone and he could get away before other fans noticed him standing idle.

A bodyguard opened the door for him and Kazuya slid inside. They got in after him before the driver pulled off. As they passed the girls,Kazuya noticed another pair of Americans with a young man that resembled himself. He looked closer and found out it was his son,Jin. He wondered how the boy came across the American women and what he was doing with himself. The Mishima had never actually talked to him, but it would be interesting no doubt, if he got the chance. Jin reminded him of Jun, his former lover. That's what made Jin so dear to him, in a sense. While he looked like himself on the outside,personality-wise he was like Jun.

_'Someday, maybe someday...we'll talk, son,'_Kazuya thought to himself.

*

"So, what did you 2 do back there?" Alexis asked curiously. She stared intently at her 2 friends.

Monica and Lisa exchanged glances and smiled widely.

"Well...you're member that guy, Kazuya?" began Lisa.

They all nodded.

"Me and Monica worked up the nerve to actually ask to get pictures taken with him!" she exclaimed.

The 2 other women's jaws dropped in astonishment.

"Stop playin'!" Crystal breathed, eyes even bigger than usual. They looked like they could pop out if she kept it up.

The Puerto-Rican shook her head. "...We're not playin'. Seriously, we took pictures with Kazuya!"

"He wasn't that happy about it," Monica added. "But he let us anyway. I didn't think he was gonna go through with it."

Crystal closed her open mouth, her visage darkening slightly in a scowl. "Why didn't you 2 let me know what was going on?" she scolded.

"Our bad," replied Lisa. "We wanted Kazuya to ourselves," she joked.

The red-haired girl crossed her arms. "That's not cool at all."

Jin stepped in between the 4 females to tone down the hostility.

"Girls,girls! C'mon there is no need for all this. I'm sure you'll all get the opportunity to catch up with my dad again." He ran a hand through his hair and eyed them. "Besides, you still got me!"

The speech worked and the girls giggled at him. The mood brightening from its intensity.

"True!"agreed Crystal, grinning at their guide. She threw an arm around his strong shoulders. "This is my Kazuya substitute."

Jinsmirked at her comment.

Alexis went to his other side and linked her arm with his. "That's right!"

"_Esta bien. _Now that everything's cool, let's go get some food, please," Lisa complained.

**

The next day the group went to an amusement park called Space World, this time bringing along Xiaoyu.

There were a lot of rides and games there, including skating. They all had a nice time together, Jin being secretly glad that he had the opportunity to do so many fun activities with nice girls. No one was ready to leave. Little did the Americans know, a big surprise awaited them tomorrow.

*

Jin groaned aloud in his seat next to Alexis and rubbed his forehead. She turned her face in his direction, raising a fiery eyebrow.

"Jin,what's up? You suddenly don't seem too happy to go shopping with us," she teased.

The young man looked over at her and smiled apologetically. "Well no,it's not that. The fact is I wanted to keep you company, but I just recalled I got to work today at 3:30!"

The other girls' ears perked up at his answer. Did he just say he had to work?

"Say what? Work?!" Crystal piped up. "You never told us you had a job!"

He shrugged helplessly. "My fault. That hadn't been on my mind lately. All I was worried about was entertaining you guys!"

They were all on the subway, with lots of people. Their destination was the Harajuku Shopping Center. A very popular place to go shopping at, even though it would lead to crowded conditions.

"Oh,man. How are we goin' to find our way back?" she lamented.

Jin looked down in thought.

"Well...just remember to catch the same subway train we're on now. It's 28B. It comes every 15 minutes, catch it to the usual street."

They all nodded, although most of them were still slightly unsure.

"OK,I think we can handle that task," Monica said slowly. "It's not too hard..."

Her roommate nodded. "All right, good. I knew you could."

Soon the subway train slowed to a stop, the driver announcing the name in Japanese.

Jin stood up. "Here's our stop. Let's go."

The girls followed him off the car. They wound their way through the rushing crowd up the stairway. When they got to the top of the stairs into the sunlight, the martial artist led them down the street and around the corner where the density of citizens increased. Numerous signs hung all the way down the sides of the street. The crew was nearly overcome by the size of the crowd.

"Well,welcome to Harajuku!" Jin informed them, quickly stepping aside as a large group of visitors strolled by.

His guests followed suit.

"Maybe it will be good if everybody held hands while we're here. It might seem silly but it will keep us from separating while its crowded. Ina couple hours, the crowd should start to thin out."

"Ugh. I'm gonna feel like I'm in Kindergarten," mumbled Lisa, rolling her midnight eyes.

Everyone grabbed their neighbor's hand before continuing down the bustling,jostling street. Jin easily squeezed through the masses of bodies like a pro. He lived in Tokyo for while, so he was used to the crowds. The girls on the other hand, weren't quite as adapted but quickly got the hang of it since they lived in an urban city back in the States.

Shortly Jin stopped and swiftly made his way to the sidelines to check out a clothing store. The rest of the group dashed out the traffic of people, right behind him.

"You girls might want to look through this place. It sells women's clothing...though it may be just a bit different than the clothes you normally wear."

Lisa and Monica, being the shoppers they were, peered into the store's display window with interest. The clothes actually weren't that bad at all, just different. Except the majority of jeans.

"We're goin' in," ordered the Latina. "I'm sure we'll find something."

Crystal glanced back at her, surprised that she wanted to go into the store so quickly.

"Lisa are you serious? I mean, Monica...and especially _you _are picky shoppers."

Her short friend nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Aight."Crystal turned back to their male companion. "We're gonna go take a look."

Jin led them into the clothing store, releasing her hand. "OK...have fun, ladies! I'll be waiting here by the door for you."

The friends glanced around eagerly at the rows of clothes before talking among themselves and heading to their favorite sections.

**

Jin heaved a sigh.

"_Kami_, where's those girls at? Are they done yet?" he muttered.

The man checked his digital watch. They had been in the store for nearly an hour and a half...and it was almost time for him to leave for work!

Soon he heard 1 of the girls' voice calling his name.

"Jin! Here we are!"

He looked up to see Monica and Alexis walking up to him with a few bags of clothes. He was relieved _they _were done, but what of the others? His eyes scanned the sea of clothing racks.

"Uh,where's Crystal and Lisa? I have to get ready to go now."

Alexis gazed behind her for any signs of her friends.

"They were about to get in the checkout line last time we saw 'em."

"Hmm. I guess I'll have to see them tomorrow. I can't wait too much longer"

"Jin,where do you work? I'm dyin' to know. Hopefully it's not some fast-food place?" Monica interrogated playfully, placing her freehand on her shapely hip.

Jin chuckled. "Actually no, I'm at this theater. I work behind the scenes as a technical director." he waved goodbye as he turned to leave them. "Catch you tomorrow, Alexis. And I'll see you around 10, Monica. Tell the others _ja ne _for me!"

"See ya, Jin!" Alexis farewelled.

"Have fun at work!" added Monica.

Jin quickly exited the store, striding down the street to the subway station.

5 minutes later, Lisa and Crystal appeared with their shopping bags.

"Where did Jin go? He's not searchin' for us, is he?" questioned Lisa,dark orbs glancing about.

"No,ya'll took too long so he left for work. Works at the theatre, y'know?" Monica replied.

"Oh that's interesting. Is he an actor?" Crystal asked.

Monica shook her head, making her long tresses sway. "Nah. He's up at the control room I think...technical director."

"Well,where to next?" Alexis wondered.

Their tall friend led them out the door. "A sneaker store or shoe place."

"Right. We gotta get somethin' to go with these outfits," agreed Alexis."Aren't ya'll glad we got credit and debit cards to take care of the shopping we're gonna be doing? They don't accept US bills anyways."

"For sure. We would've been in trouble!"

They all giggled as they searched for the next store to raid.

*

"I'm ready to go back to the hotel now," groaned Alexis. "My feet hurt! And I need a drink!"

"I know, right?" Crystal agreed, wiggling her toes inside her sandals. "But no alcohol for me. You know, you gonna run up your bill requesting that stuff from the hotel every other night."

Alexis flashed a sly grin and shrugged. "Well, it's better than smokin' pot, right?"

The elder girl shook her head. "We're gonna get you back into church,let the Lord handle that issue," she half-joked. Turning to Monica, she asked,"Where's Lisa at? Did you see her?"

The demi-African girl looked in the store window to search for her short buddy. Soon she spotted her bright red tank top approaching the exit.

"Oh,there she is. She's comin' out now," she answered, relief resounding in her tone.

"Sorry for the wait," Lisa apologized once she reached their sides. "There was just so much stuff to choose from!"

"I see!" Monica observed, eyeing the many bags the Hispanic had in her grasp. "But, listen we're gonna take it back to the hotel now. Everybody is tired of shoppin' for tonight."

"Yeah, shoppin' takes a lot out of you! I don't see how you pulled it off,Lisa!" Crystal marveled. "Now how in the world are we gonna get all this stuff on the subway? You know how crowded it be on there..."

"S***! I didn't think about that one," cursed the shopaholic.

"We're just gonna have to make-do. That's our only way to the room,"Alexis chimed in. She glanced at her watch: 3 after 7. "If that subway train comes every 15, then we should get going."

All agreed and hustled down the less crowded street toward the main road. When they got to the corner they turned right, Monica remembering what direction to take. After looking around, she spotted someone familiar across the street and stopped dead in her tracks. Her mouth gaped open in a sharp gasp. Her companions bumped into her,unprepared for the sudden stop.

"_Aye_! Monica!" snapped Lisa. "What the hell do you see that made you stop all of a sudden?!"

"Look across the street," the brown-skinned female rasped. Her amber eyes were practically shining with awe. Her heart did 100 mph in her bosom.

They tried to follow her stare, but came across a black Nissan limousine. She went crazy over that? Lisa scoffed.

"_Por favor_! A limo, so what? I mean, it's nice and all but--"

"--No,not the limo," Monica corrected, still slightly entranced. "It's...Kazuya!"

Her finger raised and pointed him out precisely.

"He's right next to it, on the phone."

Then they all saw him and squealed in delight.

"It really is him! Whoa, twice in 3 days!" Lisa shrieked.

Their red-haired friend bounced on the balls of her feet in excitement. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

"We are just so blessed tonight!" Crystal sang happily, her hands clenched over her chest with her bags. She turned to the others. "How bout we ask for a ride back to the room? Or...better yet, ask to see his home first?" she dared.

They squealed again, their enthusiasm growing. No one argued, so they waited with a small group of pedestrians on the corner to cross the broad street. It was a good thing it wasn't too many out and about now or else they wouldn't have a good shot at talking to Kazuya.

After what felt like an eternity, the light changed green for pedestrians and the women jogged across the road as hastily as they could with several bags weighing them down. In a brief moment they were a few feet away from the legend.

Kazuya just ended his conversation with an associate from G-Corporation,when he heard a familiar voice: "Hey! Mr. Mishima!"

He cringed, already knowing who it was...the pesky American girls...again!

Swearing softly, he looked up at them and forced a small smile.

"Well...hi there, uh, Monique?" he greeted uncertainly.

The caramel complexioned girl beamed shyly. In her hands, as well as the others' were about 7 bags of clothing and shoes. They must've been at the Harajuku to shop. Something had told him to hurry and get in the car while he was chatting on the phone.

"No,you're close. The name is Monica! Nice to see you again!" she said merrily.

"Do you remember me?" questioned the short, Hispanic teenager.

Kazuya studied her for a few seconds then nodded. "Yes. But I do not remember your name."

The thick girl appeared somewhat disappointed. "...I'm Lisa."

"Oh right, Lisa." He looked at the other 2 strangers. "And who might you be?" he asked with mild curiosity.

The skinny redhead strolled up to him and after juggling her bags,extended her thin hand. "I'm Alexis. Pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Mishima."

The scarred man nodded mutely and accepted her hand, almost afraid he would crush it. He released her and set his piercing sable eyes on the tall black girl. "...And you?"

"Crystal,"she answered boldly, grasping his strong hand and shaking it. "How are you tonight?"

Kazuya was somewhat surprised she was so social towards him on their first meeting, but smiled. "I am fine, thanks."

"So what're you up to tonight, Mr. Mishima?" asked Monica. "You're not busy, are you?"

His smile lessened in suspicion. Why did she want to know his business?

"_Ano,_I don't have any special plans for tonight. Why do you ask?"

He watched her twirl a lock of ebony hair and shift nervously.

"Well,my friends and I are kinda lost right now. We're not sure how to get back to the Tokyo Inn. Plus, we have all these bags to carry, so i fwe caught the _crowded _subway it would be such a hassle," she explained sheepishly. Her eyes fell on his again. "If you're not busy, would you mind letting us visit you for a little while before you take us to the hotel?"

Kazuya groaned inwardly. Not only were they lost, they wanted to come to his house for a visit?! Great, just great! Just when he thought he could go home and relax, he ends up with unwanted company! Desperately he wished his cell would ring and a business associate would call him in for a meeting. But the chances of that happening were slim.

He gazed at the young woman in thought. Should he be nice and say'yes'? Or should he make up a quick lie? No...he shouldn't turn them down especially since a good amount of citizens were standing nearby. If they heard him do so, he would be given a bad rep. A spoiled rep was something all well-known people did not want. He could envision the newspapers having '_Mishima Kazuya Turns Down Lost Girls' Plea for Help!'_on the front pages.

Monica's smile broadened and that was the icing on the cake.

"All right. It will be a difficult trip if you caught that subway with all those bags," he finally told her.

The American's almond-shaped eyes lit up in happiness. "Oh thank you so much, Mr. Mishima! You're the best!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hands as best she could with all the bags in tow.

"Thanks a lot!" her friends blurted in unison.

"Yeah,don't mention it," he grumbled, removing his hands from Monica's.

He faced the chauffeur, who was faithfully waiting outside the vehicle.

"Anikki,"he called with a snap of his fingers. _"Get the girls' bags and place them in the trunk,"_he instructed in Japanese. _"We're going home."_

The driver bowed his head then popped open the trunk, pressing a button on the key chain. He walked over to Monica first and stated, "Bags."

She smiled and gratefully handed them over. After he had everyone's belongings secured in the trunk, the chauffeur opened the car door. Monica glanced over at Kazuya uncertainly.

"Go on, get in," he told her.

The teen grinned at him then climbed inside the stretch Nissan President,Crystal, Lisa and Alexis following behind her. Kazuya brought up the rear after the girls were settled in. Anikki shut the door before going into the driver seat and pulling off.

Monica and her friends gazed at the limo's interior in admiration. It had to be the classiest car they ever been in. There was a glass rack,TV/DVD player, cooler, tan leather seating, cherry oak wood grain,and white lights that lit up the inside and lined the entire length of the posterior. A sunroof was overhead and plush carpeting was under their feet.

The women exchanged compliments among themselves about the Nissan President as their host sat quietly, gazing out the window. He was a man of few words so he was not one to suddenly start a conversation just to talk. They noticed his silence after a few minutes, glancing at him. No one was sure if she should speak to him or not. Another 10 minutes elapsed before someone broke the silence.

"Mr.Mishima, do you mind if we turn on the radio?" Alexis questioned cautiously.

Kazuya finally tore his eyes from the tinted window and fixed them onto the redhead that sat next to him.

"No,help yourselves."

Alexis searched for the correct button and turned the radio on. Immediately some soft music—mostly strings-- filled the silence. A high feminine voice sang gently with the rhythm. It was probably a nice song, if they knew what she was saying. They looked at each other and shrugged. This was the best they'll get in Japan.

Kazuya spoke up "Ah, yes. The renowned Hamasaki Ami." He scanned the group. "She's one of the most esteemed singers in the country. I like her songs, even though many of them are about heart break."

"Oh? What's the name of this one? I like the music," Lisa remarked.

A faint smirk graced Kazuya's lips. "Cold Tears."

The remainder of the trip was spent asking Kazuya what his favorite songs were and by what artist, as well as translating some of the lyrics that played over the radio. When the vehicle came to a complete stop, the martial artist glanced out the window. He was home, thank God.

"All right, ladies. Ride's over, we are at my home," Kazuya informed.

Anikki opened the car door for them. The famous Japanese fighter led the girls out the limo.

"_Sir,"_the chauffeur began, bowing his head. _"Do you want me to retrieve the guests' bags out the trunk?"_

"_No,that won't be necessary. These girls will not be staying the night here," _Kazuya answered._"And thank God for that.."_

Anikki grinned at his mumbled statement, then strolled back to the driver's side and parked the limo in the large garage. Kazuya and the young women walked up the steps of the white mansion that loomed before them.

Monica surveyed the land and dreadfully realized it was similar to her dream. A large area of land, black iron fencing surrounding the parameter, a mansion... She almost expected the black figure to be floating somewhere above. The main differences were the fact that Kazuya's home was more decorated and elegant, not to mention well-kept.

Presently Kazuya opened the door and ushered them inside.

"Welcome to my home."

They made noises of admiration at how spacious and lovely the place was. There were also more rooms than what they were used to. What looked like a living room was actually a guest room since it had no TV and was nicely furnished. They passed through another room, which may have been the den, then the living room, fancy dining room, until finally ending up in a large kitchen.

"OK,you've pretty much seen the first floor. I've got basement below,upstairs is the main bathroom, 3 bedrooms and my office. There is a pool and Jacuzzi outside," Kazuya told them carelessly.

"Well,can we see the 2nd floor?" asked Crystal.

"...No,sorry. That area is off-limits to guests, unless of course you were staying overnight," he replied firmly. "However, you may lounge in the living room and watch television. You have 15 minutes before I retire for the night. Anikki will take you to your hotel."

Monica put her fists on her hips and stared Kazuya in the eyes, though a small smile tugged on the corner of her mouth.

"Mr. Mishima, why do you have to be so mean to your guests?"

The tall Japanese raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Mean? _Nani_?! How am I being mean?" He folded his muscled arms across his broad chest and tilted his head slightly to the side. "I've been nothing but kind to you. I gave you a ride—to my house—and you're going back to your hotel in _my _Nissan President. That is not"mean", Miss Monica."

The brown-skinned teen held up a finger, telling Kazuya to hold that thought. She turned to her companions. "Y'all have a seat and turn on the TV. I need to have a woman to man talk with Mr. Mishima."

They sent her funny looks, but made no complaints.

Monica strode into the guest room, followed by a puzzled Kazuya. When they were safely in the room, the female spun around on him.

"Seriously, Mr. Mishima...what's your problem? It's like you truly don't want any friends...like you don't want anybody to get to know you." She lowered her head. "You know what I think? I think either you've been hurt by someone you had trusted or you just never received any kind of affection when you were a kid. So now, you've become a cold-hearted man..."

Monica awaited a response from him, yet received nothing of the sort. Curious, she gazed up at him. For a moment, she believed she noticed a reflection of hurt or shame in his dark eyes.

Kazuya hadn't responded because #1: she hit the nail on the head, and #2:now that he thought about it, he _didn't_ want any friends. The long, jagged scar on his chest was a lifelong reminder of his neglected childhood. His father nearly always left him behind with a nanny to fend for him and never showed any affection towards him. He painfully recalled that fateful day when his father held him over a cliff, ignoring his cries for mercy, dropping him without a blink.

The only thing he had said to him was: _"If you're really my son,you'll climb back up!"_

He was only 5 years old for crying outloud! How cold-hearted and evil could one be to attempt to kill a 5 year old. His own blood at that!

The martial artist could've died that day, if it wasn't for his strong will and that...demon. From that day on, all he had known were hatred and ire. That was until Jun came along. Sweet, innocent Jun. The woman that somehow managed to turn him from his hatred to...love. Yes, he loved Jun though he would never admit it to anyone. Now that she is gone, he retreated back to his original self for the most part.

Surprisingly,he stumbled across this young American girl who only knew him for 1 day, yet figured him out effortlessly. Besides Jun, she was the only one who really wanted to know who he was and become his friend. All the others were 1 night stands, who were merely interested in his wealth or fame. The teenager was stubborn and genuine...just like Jun. It was uncanny how similar they were, only Jun was naive at times.

Kazuya broke out his pondering to find Monica staring into his eyes, slight confusion etched across her face. He dared himself for a quick moment to gaze into her light brown depths. It was almost as if Jun herself were standing there. Almost. Wait, he let his guard down and that wasn't a good thing.

He built a wall back over his heart and glared at her.

"I cannot _believe_ we are having this conversation! You are nothing but a young, foolish American! You don't know a d*** thing about me!" he spat. "I think it's time you and your friends leave."

With that he gave her one last glower and spun around on his heels,leaving her in the guest room too stunned for words.

Kazuya marched into the living room and halted briefly.

"Goodnight, girls. I am retiring for the night. Go outside and let Anikki know you have to return to the hotel."

He ascended the curved staircase with a huff.

The trio exchanged glances before turning off the TV and leaving the room. What got into Kazuya?

They walked into the guest room to find Monica with a scowl on her face.

"Yo,Monica? You all right?" interrogated Crystal. "You look pissed."

Monica exhaled slowly. "Yeah, well...let's just say a certain somebody couldn't handle the truth," she replied bitterly, referring to Kazuya. "He won't have to worry about me for a long time."

"What happened?"

"Don't wanna talk about it. I just want to go now, OK?" Monica stormed out the door, her friends staring after her in concern.

**

"Nani? Monica, why don't you wanna go anywhere today?" asked Jin.

Monica always wanted to do something since she arrived in Japan. Suddenly she just wanted to sit in the house today? She kept her eyes on the TV screen.

"Cause you gotta go to work, Jin. I don't wanna get lost again," she bluffed. Really, she didn't want to run into Kazuya.

Jin appeared skeptical. "Well...OK if you say so. But Xiaoyu and your friends will be disappointed you didn't show up with me," he continued, hoping to change her mind.

It didn't work.

"Nah,Jin. If you ain't goin' to be with us the whole day, then I refuse to go."

"But you can come back to the house when you want, you have your own set of keys now."

Monica glared at him, only half serious. Jin threw his hands up in surrender.

"Fine. I tried...but when I come back from work you're going out!"

He waved goodbye then strode out the door. Yes, he knew just what she needed tonight.

Monica looked herself over in the mirror and shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't get over how Jin actually forced her to get dressed up for a night at the club. She sported low-rider jeans with a white belt to match her top. The shirt had sheer sleeves and sheer back. It exposed her well-toned tummy in the front, with a scoop neckline. Of course, she wore a fair amount of jewelry to spice up her appearance a bit.

After applying mascara and lip gloss, she left out the room...only to literally bump into Jin. Instinctively, his hands fastened onto her arms. His brown eyes widened somewhat after he discovered how different she looked.

"Whoa,watch yourself, Jin," advised Monica with a small smile.

"My fault," Jin apologized, using his American friends' lingo. "You look great tonight. I was just about to come into your room to get you."

The North Carolina native blushed a little. "Aw, thanks Jin." She glanced at his hands, still gripping her arms. "You can let go of me now."

Jin noticed and laughed as he released her. "Sorry about that."

His roommate scanned his attire. He had on some carpenter jeans, white Airforces, a beater and a club shirt with an anime samurai. Besides that, he had on a dash of cologne. She approved of it.

"You men don't know how lucky you are! Women have to go through a lot to dress up!" she pouted, poking a finger into his chest. She winced a bit when she nearly stubbed it on his hard pectoral muscle. "Ow. Jin you must work out often..."

The Asian male smirked as her hands felt his chest. "Oh yeah, you know it. Have to keep myself in shape. I'm a fighter after all."

After her hands stopped traveling over him, he felt a tad disappointed. Once he noticed her still staring at his upper body, a flush spread over his face.

"_Nani_?"

Monica let out a low whistle. "You mind lifting that beater for a moment? Seriously."

Jin's blush grew. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "OK..."

He pulled his snug shirt up with a hand until it revealed most of his torso. The guy couldn't help but feel good about himself as he observed Monica's facial expression. Giving her a couple more seconds, he then pulled his shirt down.

"Wow,Jin! You should show that body off more often! I'm shocked you hide yourself from the ladies," Monica complimented, shaking her head. "You still don't got a girlfriend?"

He sighed. "No, I don't. I'm not really looking right now. You could say I'm waiting on the one."

Monica's eyebrow arched. "That so? Well..." she began, sashaying up to him. "How 'bout I be your girl?"

She leaned close to him.

The Japanese man's heart was thudding so hard, he wouldn't be surprised if Monica heard it. He was nervous and tense, but another side of him was becoming turned on. He licked his lips absently as her sweet breath tickled them. That was when the tiny voice, courtesy of his father's contribution, spoke inside his mind.

He attempted not to listen to the bad thoughts but it was getting difficult.

Monica on the other hand, was giggling in her head. She was only joking around to see how Jin would react or if he would realize she was playing around. The amusement faded away once she discovered the change in Jin's eyes. They now had a devilish glint to them, no longer were they shy and warm. Did she go too far?

The teen began to back up a little and noticed the tiniest hint of crimson forming in his irises. A faint growl seemed to rumble in the karate fighter's throat. Was her mind playing tricks on her?

Suddenly Jin appeared to snap out of it and pushed her aside firmly.

"No...stop,"he ordered softly, turning away from her gaze.

He was so close to actually grabbing her. Had he did that, she would surely be afraid of him and think he was some mad man! Things like this are what made him loathe being who he was. His other half is what kept him from having any intimate relationships.

Jin breathed slowly and deeply in an effort to calm the dark urges threatening to overcome his mind.

Monica's concerned voice cut through his cloudy thoughts. "Jin? Hey, are you all right?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing the desires to the back of his head. "Yes...I am fine."

"I'm sorry if I got you upset. I-I was just messin' with you, really,"she apologized shamefully. "I won't joke like that again if it bothers you."

The Japanese felt a small sting of guilt. It wasn't truly her fault. Under _normal_ circumstances, he'd be laughing right along with her.

"No need to apologize. I'm not angry or anything..." He paused for a second, hearing her walk towards him. Oh no, he couldn't let her touch him. He wasn't entirely out of the woods yet.

Quickly,Jin started strolling away from her.

"We better get going now. Your friends and Xiaoyu are probably getting tired of waiting on us."

Monica watched his retreating back in confusion. It seemed like he didn't want to be near her right now.

"Uh...yeah,you're right."

~

Jin led the way into Club Blue with the girls right behind him. The music was blasting, lights flashing, and people dancing. It was a nice turnout.

They found a booth and sat down, glancing around at their colorful surroundings.

"This club is all that and then some," Alexis commented, nodding her head to the hip-hop rhythm. "You guys ain't just gonna sit here all night, are you?"

"No,of course not, Alexis!" answered their Chinese companion. She glanced around at everyone else. "Well...I know I'm not! Whooo! Let's go, girl!"

The redhead grinned and followed Xiaoyu out the booth. Jin chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm not sure if we'll see them again tonight, especially Xiaoyu."

"They're both party people, so they make good friends," added Crystal.

"Where's the bar at?" Monica asked. "I need a drink first to loosen me up. I'm not used to clubs anymore."

"The bar?!" Jin questioned with a smirk. "You don't seem like the type to drink. But come with me, I'll show you... Lisa and Crystal,you want to join us?" he continued, glancing at them.

"No,thanks," said Lisa with a face. "We're not into drinking, just partying a bit."

"Your loss." Jin turned to Monica. "_Koi_."

They got up and worked their way over to the bar, where a good amount of people sat conversing or laughing stupidly.

"Looks like some people had enough to drink," Jin mumbled to Monica, who snickered.

They sat in 2 vacant stools and waited on one of the bartenders to finish up an order. Soon, a Japanese woman with short, multi-colored hair came striding over to them, smiling brightly.

"Hi there!" she greeted in English. "What can I get you folks tonight?"

"Lemon Daiquiri, please," Jin told her.

"I'll have a dry martini," said Monica.

The woman nodded and went to work fixing their drinks.

Monica turned to Jin. "So how long you wanna chill here?"

"You mean the club or the bar?"

"The bar."

"Oh,maybe a good hour. Let the alcohol kick in first and then go out on the floor."

"Cool. You come here often?"

Jins hook his head. "No. This is my 2nd time. Last time I came alone just to get out of the house for a while."

The African girl smirked at him. "Like what you did to me, right?"she accused.

He put on an innocent face. "...Maybe."

Pretty soon the worker returned with 2 glasses of beverages.

"Here ya go: 1 lemon daiquiri and a martini." Her eyes focused on Jin. "..Hey sir, aren't you Kazama Jin?" she asked curiously.

Jin nodded half-heartedly. He was getting a little tired of people asking him that same question.

The bartender's eyes sparkled with delight. "Oh this is just great! I recall a coworker of mine claim he spotted you here one night!"

"Yeah,I came here once before. Nice spot to hang out at on the weekends."

She nodded and looked at Monica. "So are you his date tonight?" she questioned, not wanting to exclude the other girl.

The American raised an eyebrow at her direct question, but smiled weakly. "No. We're friends, that's all."

She leisurely sipped on the small straw in her Martini to try it out. It was pretty good.

The bartender sensed her offense. "I'm kinda nosy, don't worry about me," she quipped pleasantly, earning a grin from the 2 roommates. "Well, I hope you 2 enjoy your stay here. And don't worry about the drinks, they're on the house!"

"Thanks,"Jin said.

"No prob. If you need anything else, give me a yell."

With those words, she trotted over to some waiting customers. Jin turned to Monica.

"I swear I could possibly get a huge discount on a brand new car, if I wanted...maybe even get it free!"

"Right! People just give you things!"

They took a few sips of their drinks before Monica checked on her friends. She didn't see them sitting in the booth anymore.

"Well,it looks like everybody is having fun now," she observed.

"Good. For a moment, it seemed Crystal and Lisa were going to sit at the table all night."

The roommates shared a giggle and drank more of their alcoholic beverages. They continued talking and drinking for about an hour(ordering more drinks in the process).

"Jin..."began Monica languorously. "This is the last glass for both of us,you hear?" she ordered, wagging a finger at him.

The affects of the alcohol were starting to show in her behavior. Jin rolled his dark eyes skyward and chuckled.

"Allright mom, whatever you say," he joked, still retaining most of his sobriety.

The American laughed. "That's right, or else I'm gonna have to give you a whoopin'," quipped the teen, throwing an arm out to the side as if preparing to smack him.

Just then a young woman was walking nearby and got hit with the swinging arm.

"Oh!"she cried in shock.

Monica gasped and turned to see who she accidentally struck. It was a girl wearing thin glasses, a ponytail, and jean outfit. A few locks of brown hair framed her face. Her eyes were a birch brown, wide indisbelief and surprise.

"I am so sorry! I ain't mean to hit you," Monica apologized, feeling equal parts embarrassed and remorseful. "I've been drinkin' a little."

The offended girl adjusted her spectacles and nodded, a weak smile on her face. "Uh, it's all right. I understand..."

Jin soon recognized this young woman.

"Julia?"

The woman blinked and studied the Japanese male. "Ah...Jin?! Ha! Wow, what a coincidence to see you here of all people. How are you?"she replied, smile growing.

"Good,thank you. I'm surprised you're still here after the tournament."

"Yeah,I know. I just felt like relaxing in Japan a little longer. But I'll be leaving in about a week or so."

The son of Kazuya nodded. "I see. Well it's nice to be seeing you again. By the way, the abusive woman here is Monica," he informed,tapping the adolescent's leg. "She's my roommate and is from The States, like yourself."

Julia turned back to Monica with curiosity. "Oh, that so? Nice to meet you, Monica...even though you backhanded me," she joked, extending her slightly tan hand.

Her fellow American grinned and shook hands with her.

"Same here, Juuulia." She then gestured to the vacant stool next to her. "Why don't ya have a seat?"

The brunette obliged and hopped onto the stool, smiling inwardly at Monica's slur.

"So,what state you from, Monica?"

"North Carolina. And you?"

"Nebraska. I've fought in the tournament to save the lands from this company expansion. They were gonna destroy it all. Did you hear about it by any chance?"

"Yeah,I wasn't fond of it myself. Heard about it from the newsss. My dad was especially mad, being Native American and all..."

Julia quirked an eyebrow. "Really? So am I! _Do you speak Hopi __**[a/n:the native speakers say it differently than non-Hopi so most others won't comprehend the tribe name.]**_?!"

The darker girl perked up, although she appeared a bit confused.

"_Sorry I can't understand you..._I speak Cheyenne. Too bad we can't talk in our tribal tongues together. What tribe are you?"

Jin,feeling totally excluded at this point, was lost but continued to listen to their conversation with interest.

"Oh OK. I'm Hopi. And I agree, it is too bad," Julia responded, a hint of disappointment resounding in her tone.

Still,it was nice to have not only a fellow American, but one that was also part of a tribe. After Monica acknowledged her answer, Jin spoke up.

"Hmm,I thought you looked different, Monica. I just wasn't sure what other nationality you were besides African American."

"Well...now ya know, Jin," she teased. She briefly stuck her tongue out at him, earning a pseudo-disgusted expression. Turning to Julia again,she continued, "Why don't you have a drink? It's on us. It's the least I could do for hittin' you."

"That's nice of you. Sure why not?"

Jin called the acquainted bartender over.

"Still want another drink?" she questioned after reaching them.

"Yeah 1 more..." He glanced at Julia. "What'll you have?"

"...MD Blue Rasperry, please."

The woman smiled and nodded before leaving to fix the drink.

"Ya know, this is my 4th time at this place," Julia continued, checking out the crowd on the dance floor. "My mother would kill me if she was here."

"Don't become an alcoholic, Julia," quipped Jin, dispersing the somber aura the bespectacled girl was giving off.

Monica simpered as Julia chortled and waved him off.

The three finished up their drinks when Nelly's "Hot in Herre"suddenly played over the speakers. Their African friend threw her hands up into the air.

"This was the jam! C'mon, c'mon! Let's go dance, y'all!" she exclaimed giddily.

Julia and Jin exchanged looks, yet allowed Monica to pull them off their seats and onto the floor.

±

_[a/n: takes place at the airport]_

Crysta lhugged Monica tightly and sadly smiled.

"You behave yourself over here, aight girl? I don't wanna have to comeback and get ya."

Monica chortled softly. "Oh don't worry about me, I'm a good girl...you know that!"

She let go of her long time friend.

"You just make sure to keep an eye on Alexis."

The tall girl giggled. "I'll remember to do that." She turned to Jin. "Yo, Jin, sweetie it was nice knowin' you and all. I had fun the whole time I was here. Stay cute for me, OK?" She gave Jin as mall hug.

Jin grinned. "Yeah I'll do my best. It's been great having you and the others around too."

Crystal nodded. "Aight, we better get goin'. We don't want the plane to leave us! I'd call you, Monica, but you don't have your phone."

"Yeah I know, once I get my pre-paid I'll give you a call. But y'all have a safe trip!" Monica replied.

"_Sayanara,_you guys!" farewelled Jin.

The Carolina natives all waved, saying goodbye as they began boarding the plane. Jin and Monica remained staring out the window at their departing plane until it was only a silvery dot in the cloudy sky.

"Aw,my friends are actually gone now," Monica stated in mild grief. She looked at Jin. "Guess it's just you and me, buddy."

"Yes. Too bad, huh?" he joked.

Monica smiled. "You don't know the half of it!"

"Allright, let's go. Maybe you can help me go grocery shopping today. You're eating all the food."

Monica scoffed and slapped him playfully on the arm. "Whatever."

**

"So what do you feel like doing tonight?" asked Monica, after putting away the last of the groceries with the Asian male.

Jin tossed the empty grocery bags into the recycling bin. "_Ano_...what about the movies?"

The girl thought it over. "Hmm, yeah I think that will be a good idea. But...how am I gonna understand what the actors will be saying?"

"Good one. How about I tell you what's going on?" He smiled and shrugged.

Monica rolled her eyes. "All right I guess that's no big deal..."

"OK good." He searched for the newspaper he bought earlier and found it laying on the lampstand in the living room. "Let's see what's being shown in the theaters tonight." Once he found one, he looked up at her with curiosity. "...You interested in action movies?"

"Oh yeah, for sure!"

Jin breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank _Kami_. I was starting to think maybe you were one of those people that liked the mushy romance movies."

The girl put her hands on her shapely hips in mock aggression. "What? Look Jin, just because I'm a girl don't mean I'm a helpless romantic!"

"_Maa,maa_. Sorry...it's just that a lot of girls that I know like those kinds of movies. I cannot sit down and watch them for long, I end up falling asleep."

Monica giggled. "You guys, I swear y'all love those violent movies." She took a seat next to him and placed her hands behind her head. "So what's the name of this movie...in English, and what time it start?"

"The title is "Eye of the Storm" and it begins at 8:00, so if we want to make it in time, we should leave in a half hour."

"Aight. That gives us some time to relax somewhat."

Jin folded up the newspaper. He grabbed the remote off the arm of the loveseat and flicked on the wide screen TV. They sat watching the show in silence for a few minutes until Monica broke the peace.

"Jin..."she started. "You know that day we went to the club?"

Jin glanced at her. "Yeah. What about it?" He had a notion he wasn't going to like this conversation.

"Well it's been buggin' me that you was actin' a little funny after I flirted with you. Why is that? Did I make you uncomfortable or what? Never saw you like that."

The young man ran a hand over his hair and sighed heavily. "I was only a little nervous at first, but then I started to like it..."

Monica's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "So then why did you seem so upset?"

"You didn't let me finish yet," he told her, his voice getting softer. "Did you ever wonder why I disliked my Mishima heritage?"

"Uh,yeah I did. But I just figured that you had family probs in the past."

Jin nodded slowly, his mind deep in thought. "Yes...that's part of the reason. But what I really hate is what my father gave me...what he made me become." He gazed down at this sneakers and frowned. "There's this-this _gene_ in my blood. It's like my dark side. It sends these thoughts to my mind in certain situations, but the one advantage is I get my strength from it."

Monica was intrigued yet still not sure what Jin meant. "So what you're sayin' is...that 'gene' made you act like that, that night?"

"Well yeah...but I mean the fact that I _liked _you being in my face and I wanted to...take you in my bedroom to have--" He paused to check her expression. Her face held a mixture of curiosity, concern and something like apprehension. He released a heavy sigh and looked away from her, feeling embarrassed and uneasy. "Let me just say you'll never understand who I am."

The American studied him. No, she wasn't afraid, just curious and uncertain. There was something Jin wasn't telling her. He was holding back on some kind of dark, dangerous secret. She knew he wouldn't try to harm her, yet she had to be careful with her behavior when it came to flirting or anything suggestive. Whatever this gene was, it was capable of making him do things he normally wouldn't do.

Her eyes locked onto his attractive profile, taking in the smooth lightly tanned skin and shiny spiked hair. His bangs prevented her from reading his emotions, but she could tell he wasn't happy.

_'So handsome and mysterious,'_ she thought.

Jin's head slowly turned towards her, as if he heard her thoughts. He appeared slightly melancholy. The female scooted over to him,feeling sympathetic. She reached out, her fingers brushing the long bangs away from one of his deep eyes.

"You're my friend, Jin, no matter who you are," she firmly told him,staring into his brown eyes.

The martial artist almost looked relieved.

Monica's arms encircled him in a comforting hug, which Jin welcomed gratefully, burying his face in her silky tresses. For once, in along time, he felt accepted.

_ **End Ch. 2!** _


	3. Unexpected Love: Ch. 3A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunited with an old buddy and saved by who?!

_ _

_[a/n: 5 days later...]_

_[a/n: DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tekken or any of its characters, I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment purposes, no money is gained!]_

**M**onica went to the house décor store to furnish her bare room. She had grown tired of coming home to such a boring bedroom. 5 days had passed since her friends had left for the States. She was feeling more lonely now without them by her side. But at least she was getting used to Tokyo's maze of streets and buildings. Plus she landed a job at the theater, courtesy of Jin of course. She wasn't full-time like him though, but it was a job that provided income. Income that didn't have to come out her account anymore. In addition she managed to buy a pre-paid cell phone today.

Currently, she entered the store,amazed at how large it was and began looking around for some bedroom items. Too bad the aisle signs were only in Japanese. An awkward 30 minutes later she left with some pictures, nick-nacks, posters and a candle set.

Little did she know, a certain Asian man spotted her leaving the store and began following her. Ina few minutes, he caught up to her, smirk forming on his lips.

Monica suddenly felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder and heard a male voice say, "Excuse me, miss."

Instinctively, Monica spun around,swinging her bag up to attack the "mugger". He yelped in surprise and leaped back, the weighted bag missing him by mere inches.

"D***, Monica! You tried to take my head off!" he yelled breathlessly.

The American's eyes narrowed at hearing her name and looked up to see her attacker's face. Her mouth dropped open in total shock upon recognizing the young man. "Hwoarang?! Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry about that..." She released a shaky sigh. "You shouldn't have snuck up on me, _onéstôhóné_!"

Still very happy to see the red-haired Korean, she threw her arms around him. Hwoarang hugged her back, equally as happy.

After he let her go, she said, "I forgot you was supposed to be here over the summer! Good to see a familiar face in this big city."

The Korean studied her now that he had the chance, eyes quickly roving over her from hair to sandals and back. Most people thought her hair was simply jet black, but it actually had subtle dark red highlights in it when the sun shined upon it. He really liked the deceptive coloring.

Hwoarang nodded at her statement. "Yeah. And I ain't forget about your sexy a** either," he replied, cuffing the side of her bottom. "How long you been in this place?"

The girl put a mock scowl on her face after he tapped her rear. "I been here for almost 2 weeks now. My friends left a few days ago, so now I'm by myself...sort of."

Hwoarang was 20 years old and had once been drafted into the military back in Korea. He was a little on the slim side—not skinny though—with a muscular build and dark brown eyes. His fiery red hair was often the first thing that drew attention. Besides that he was cute with a tough guy attitude. Before he was drafted into the military, he used to hustle money from street fights and was in a small gang. He had met Monica while he was on a trip in the US with some military comrades. The 2 have been flirtatious acquaintances ever since.

The redhead smirked. "Oh good,I had great timing then. Lucky me." He hooked an arm around her shoulders. "So where you stayin' at?"

Monica started walking away with him. "I'm at this nice little townhouse in a quieter section of town. I needed to decorate my bedroom."

"Huh? You got your own place, already?"

"Nah,I wish. I'm sharing it with a roommate. It was _his _place first."

Hwoarang's eyebrows rose. "_He_? This dude your man? I'm gonna kick his a**."

Monica laughed. "Oh stop! He's just my friend—like you are!"

"Nah, you're my girl," he joked, tightening his hold on her shoulders.

"Right. But listen, remember you said you fought in that tournament? My roommate did too."

"Oh yeah? What's his name, I might know him."

"It's Jin. Jin Kazama."

He stopped. "Jin Kazama?! I got a score to settle with that guy!" he growled. "He was the only one that gave me probs when I used to hustle!"

Monica stopped and turned to face him. "Say what? Oh no. What a coincidence! My friend and roommate are rivals?" She eyed the Asian. "There won't be any fights 'round me, aight?"

Hwoarang rolled his dark eyes and sighed. "OK, babe. Whatever you want. If I ain't like you so much, I would've kicked his a** anyway." He continued strolling,gently pushing her along. "Y'know what? I think I would like to join you to your place. I'm curious to see what it looks like."

Monica pondered about it but figured it would be fine since Jin was probably at work. "Aight. I think that's cool with me. Jin's not in anyhow."

"Oh'pretty boy' ain't there, huh? Maybe he ran 'cause I'm still in town," he quipped. "And what you mean you 'think that's cool'? You should 'know' it is, _I'm _your guest!"

The Native American scoffed.

*

Hwoarang blew a whistle as he surveyed the living room. "Hmm, not bad. Not bad at all, Jin,"he commented to himself.

"Thanks for actually complimenting Jin," Monica said.

He smirked. "Yeah, but don't expect me to always be nice to him." The fighter watched his female friend trudge up the stairway. "Where ya goin'?" he interrogated, observing her butt switch up the steps._'Wow. I miss seeing that!'_

"Going to my room, man. Now you know I bought that stuff for my bedroom. You stayin' down here or comin' with me?"

"Oh, I'm definitely followin' you, babe. I wanna see the room I'll be spending so much time in."

Hwoarang followed her to her room,pausing to open Jin's bedroom door and peek inside. Monica took notice and slapped him on the wrist. The boy flinched away, quirking a brow.

"Hey! What was that for?" he demanded.

"You were being nosy, peekin' in Jin's room! He ain't even here."

"I know. I was just curious to see how dirty he is."

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "Oh c'mon. My room's right down this way."

The 2 entered her room, Hwoarang scanning the area.

"You're right, it does need some decorations. But it's a nice size, the bed too," he remarked,making his way to her queen-sized bed and sitting down. "So how long you stayin' here in Tokyo?"

Monica set her bag down then fell onto her bed near her friend. "Oh..'till late August I guess. What about you?"

"Pretty much the same—sometime in mid August. Tokyo is a great place." He leaned back until his head rested on her toned tummy. "You do anything fun since ya been here?"

"Yeah, I have. Like everyday me, Jin, Alexis, Crystal and Lisa did something. Never a dull day. We went to an amusement park, shopped, saw this small tournament...we ended up runnin' into Kazuya a couple times too. Him and Jin look alike but not in the eyes."

Hwoarang snorted distastefully. "Kazuya? That guy is just too cocky for his own good...and cold-hearted. He's a great fighter though, for an old guy."

His female companion giggled then started playing in the Korean's below chin length locks. She absently finally noticed how long his hair had grown since she last saw him back home. He had had cropped, spiked locks then from being in the military. "You're mean sometimes, you know that?"

He smirked and shrugged. "Yeah I know I can be. But that's why you like me so much."

"No, I like you cause you're funny, there's a difference." Her soft fingers glided over his scalp, making him close his eyes in mild pleasure.

"Hmm, whatever. But how did you come across Jin?"

"We was just at the airport and it turned out he was there too, waitin' on Xiaoyu to arrive. Crystal stopped him to ask about houses for rent. He said he needed a roommate, so I took up the offer," she explained, running her fingers through his hair leisurely.

"Wow, that's something. You guys got real lucky that day. Well, how your friend 'Lexis doing? I remember her too," he said softly, enjoying the sensations her digits were causing.

"Ah, she's still wild and silly. You 2 would make a nice couple."

"...Maybe. But you're probably just sayin' that 'cause we both have red hair." He shifted to get more comfortable on the bed. "Besides, she was pretty skinny. I want somethin' to grab onto...you're a good example for that."

Monica rolled her eyes, but couldn't help to smile. "Thanks anyway, Hwoarang," she said,ceasing her massages on his head. "Get up, I don't wanna stay in this room all day. And you look like you're about to fall asleep on me."

Hwoarang groaned at the absence of her fingers. "That felt good, why did you stop?"

"'Cause I don't want you fallin' asleep when I'm tryin' to go back out, like I said."

He sat up grudgingly. "Now _you're _being mean. And y'know what?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "I'm gonna get you for that."

Monica appeared bewildered.

The Korean saw his chance at her stupor and attacked her unguarded sides with his fingers. She jumped and started laughing.

"No! Stop it!" she pleaded laughingly.

They rolled around on the bed fora few moments, the girl's laughter filling the empty house as she attempted to grab Hwoarang's hands. Soon she succeeded then rolled on top of him, pinning him down as best she could.

"Ooohh, I like this position,"the boy teased with a naughty smirk.

Monica scoffed and blushed before poking a finger into his gut, causing him to jerk. She got off him and stood up, missing the disappointed expression on his visage.

"Aight, let's go, Red," she ordered.

He got up and followed her out the room, smacking her rear to get back at her.

"Leave my butt alone."

"I can't! You got a donkey, haha!"

***

_Couple days afterwards..._

After a 5 hour work day, Monica headed to the bank to cash her check. The lines were beginning to dwindle down once she entered the building thankfully, being that it was Friday evening. The bank teller stared at her when she reached his window, not used to seeing someone with brown skin in person.

"Hi. What can I help you with, miss?" he greeted with a small smile and bow of the head.

"I just need to cash my check, sir," she replied.

The middle-aged male nodded. "OK. I need you to sign the back of the check and present some form of valid ID. Also, if you are not a current member of this bank, there is a fee of 140 yen."

The American nodded and did as told. She received her money and left out the bank, happy to have her own yen in her pocket for once. Jin had given her money to get decorations for her room.

She entered the humid evening and began strolling toward the subway, when she felt someone grab her arm. Hwoarang just never got tired of sneaking up on her! She halted, not yet turning to face him.

"Hwoarang, are you stalkin' me or what? Get a life," she joked.

"_Nani_? Who is Hwoarang? _Ojou-san_, you got the wrong person," the voice growled. "Now give me the purse..."

A couple blocks away, Kazuya stepped out the up-scale cafe he and some employees from G-Corp had met up at. He wanted to get some fresh air to escape the smothering,smoke-filled atmosphere of the cafe. He sighed heavily, breathing in the cleaner, cooler air of the late evening. Dusk was nearly upon the city.

_'How the hell do those people smoke cigarettes?'_ Kazuya thought in disbelief. _'They do nothing but cause lung cancer and foul-smelling breath.'_

He leaned back against the building and stared up at the orange and pink tinted sky. A few early stars were making their appearance further east. It was a beautiful and mild evening out. His wandering thoughts were cut short when he heard a shriek. Sounded like a woman. The man located the source from where the noise sounded and spotted 2 people down the street struggling with each other. To ensure himself it wasn't a couple simply having an argument, he peered closer and realized the man was trying to snatch a pocketbook from the lady. Apparently he was a mugger.

In alert mode and anger beginning to boil in his veins, Kazuya jogged down the nearly vacant sidewalk towards them. The people out were either trying not to get involved or were too engrossed doing something else. He passed by, ignoring them. He couldn't stand a thug that preyed on women. It was such a cowardly thing to do. Where was the honor in that?

Meanwhile, Monica was scared yet steamed that this mugger was trying to take her purse. She was minding her own business until he came along!

"Get off my pocketbook, _vávâhka'xe_! You think you can just take somethin' that ain't yours?! Well,you're wrong!" she snapped, sending a kick to his shin.

The mugger was starting to get annoyed at her resistance, but her kick hurt. _"OK,enough is enough!"_ He pulled out a caliber pistol and pointed it at her. "Let go of the purse!"

Monica froze in panic. Suddenly her eyes caught some movement behind her attacker. She silently thanked God.

Ina flash, Kazuya's strong arms locked around the mugger's neck in a death grip. The man gagged slightly from the pressure and stood still, flabbergasted.

"_Drop the f****** gun! Now!" _Kazuya ordered in their language, increasing the force of his hold.

The mugger immediately let the weapon fall to the ground.

"_You are not as dumb as you look. Now, release her purse!"_

The man's fingers slowly uncurled from the teen's pocketbook. She quickly backed away to a safe distance and composed herself, thankful for her hero—even though it happened to be Kazuya.

After Monica was safely away from the mugger, Kazuya slammed him roughly against the store building. The man wheezed with a grimace, the wind temporarily knocked out of him. Kazuya then grabbed the thug's throat, lifting him clear off the ground. His piercing eyes narrowed into slits as he stared up at the cowering man.

"_People like you disgust me!"_The martial artist sneered in Japanese. _"You are nothing more than yellow-bellied dogs...leaches of society!"_

He squeezed the male's throat, decreasing his air supply. The man's eyes widened and he clasped his hands around the Mishima's, struggling to remove it. Kazuya could faintly hear the evil thoughts the demon inside sent, urging him to strangle the mugger. Ignoring them, he instead smashed his fist into the man's gut. The thug curled into himself slightly, clutching his midsection in agony. The taller man allowed him to drop onto his feet, only to land a fierce kick to the side of his head. The mugger hollered in pain and went skidding along the sidewalk.

The Karate fighter stooped to pick up the gun, emptying the cylinder of ammo before tossing it at the beaten man lying on the ground.

"_Worthless piece of s***!"_he spat in disgust. _"Get out of here before I beat you to within an inch of your life!"_

The broken mugger crawled painfully to his feet, grabbing his unloaded gun, and fled without a second glance. He decided then and there not to ever rob anyone else again. With guys like that business man walking around, he'd be an idiot for continuing to do so. It wasn't worth it.

After the thug was out of sight, Kazuya turned his attention to the girl. She appeared shaken up but somewhat pissed as she stared in the direction her attacker went. He did not expect to run into _her _again.

Loosening his tie, he walked over to her.

"You all right?" he asked, throwing the bullets into a nearby garbage bin.

Monica faced him and nodded wearily. She released a shaky exhale then replied, "Yeah. Thanks a lot, Mr. Mishima."

His cold, calculating orbs studied her for a moment. "_Baka onna_. What were you doing out here by yourself when it's getting dark? Did you think it was completely safe here in Tokyo?"

The teenager's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "_Baka onna_? What's that?"

Kazuya rolled his eyes. "It means foolish woman. Now can you answer me?"

Her face darkened with a scowl. "Look, I was just coming out the bank back there and was heading straight to the subway, OK? It wasn't like I was simply wandering around, lost or anything!" she retorted. "I swear you are--" She stopped herself. Here this man, however a jerk he may be at times, saved her life and she was about to give him a tongue lashing.

The Japanese, looking so suave in his dark blue suit, crossed his arms and awaited to hear the rest of her sentence.

"OK, you were right. I should have somebody with me around this time of the day."

"Well it's good you agree with me on that. You could have been killed today." He turned and began walking away. "_Koi_. I suggest you follow me," he instructed over his shoulder.

Monica strode behind him, feeling like a young child found by her parent. "Uh...Mr. Mishima, for what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened that night at your place. Who am I to tell you what happened in your past?"

Kazuya slowed to a halt, his back still facing her. She actually apologized? That was not expected. He was beginning to like her a bit _[a/n: no not romantically, just as a human being lol]_. Perhaps the American girl was not so bad after all.

"...Apology accepted. We all make our mistakes, Ms. Monica." He glanced back at her out the corner of his eye.

They ambled along quietly back to the cafe where Kazuya's associates were. Just as they approached, his colleagues came loping out the door, searching for him.

"_Mr. Mishima? Sir, where were you? We looked out the window and you were gone!"_a graying man with glasses exclaimed in their native tongue.

"_There was a mugger attacking this young lady," _he explained calmly, gesturing to the teen. _"I rushed to the scene to stop him."_

His 3 associates seemed concerned and surprised as they briefly regarded the brown-skinned American behind him.

Turning back to Kazuya, a different man spoke,_"Oh! Well is everything all right? Did she or yourself get hurt?"_

"_No. Only that mugger was harmed. We are fine, thanks," _Kazuya answered. _"We will continue our discussion concerning Operation: Restoration after I escort the young lady to the subway station. Now, if you will excuse me..." _He bowed his head to excuse himself, receiving returning nods and mildly surprised gazes.

The Mishima gently pushed Monica alongside him as they began to walk to their final destination. Once they reached the subway stairs, Kazuya turned to the girl.

"Well, here is the subway station. Hopefully you will get on the train and not goof around?"

The African girl scoffed. "Yeah, I'll get directly on the train, Mr. Mishima. I ain't some moron," she assured him.

Kazuya nodded and smirked, digging in his inner jacket pocket. He retrieved an expensive, silver cell phone and began pressing buttons. He glanced at her, his eyes no longer as icy as they usually are.

"Do you have a number I could reach you with?" he questioned as if it wasn't a big deal.

At first Monica was stumped for words. Kazuya actually requested her phone number? Where were her friends when something big like this happened?

"Um...y-yes I do. It's 555-4355."

Kazuya entered the numbers into this phone book and nodded. "OK. I will need that in case I have to escort you again to make sure you get home safely."

"Well, thanks for caring, Mr. Mishima. I...better get goin' now. You have a good night," she told him shyly.

The martial artist put his cell away and uttered a quick _"Oyasumi-nasai"_,watching the dark beauty descend the steps. He probably won't be calling her anytime soon, but he knew he will be calling that number.

Jin retrieved a bottle of juice out of the refrigerator, twist the cap off and drank it. He had been home for well over an hour and Monica was nowhere to be seen. Where could she be? She told him she'd beat the house by the time he got home.

He took another swig as he sauntered through the living room towards a window. He peered in between the vertical blinds, yet saw no one making their way up the porch steps. The boy sighed and left the window, anxiety beginning to build inside him. Something was not quite right. Various reasons to her tardiness raced through his brain. Was it possible that she was with Hwoarang?

Jin snorted at the thought of his arch-rival. He was as sore as one could get when it came to losing. Why couldn't the prideful Korean accept the fact that he was a good as himself?

The martial artist settled down into his favorite seat—the recliner—and clicked on the television. Just what was Hwoarang's real purpose of hanging around Tokyo? Jin figured it had something to do with a rematch, but wasn't certain. Monica had informed him that Hwoarang spoke little of him and a rematch.

The young man gulped down the remainder of his juice, his musings cut short by the action movie blaring through the surround sound speakers. He picked up the remote and turned down the volume. There was a scene with a man being chased by 2 police cars, swerving down a congested road of traffic. The movie held his attention for another 15 minutes before Jin found himself gazing up at the clock. He disliked not having Monica around when she specifically told him she would be in the house. Besides, she wasn't from Tokyo and may get lost with it turning dusk out.

His body started to feel restless, so he got out his seat to throw out his empty juice bottle. Once he returned to the living room, he was still too agitated to sit back down. What if Monica was indeed lost or even worse, hurt? He paced back and forth a moment, negative thoughts floating in his head. He stopped in the middle of the floor and made up his mind to go look for her.

The Japanese strode to the door, not bothering to turn off the television. He was nearly there when it suddenly swung open. The opening door almost hit him in the face. He blinked in surprise and stepped back as Monica came bounding in. Her amber-like eyes widened when she noticed him staring in her visage.

"Goodness, Jin! You scared me for a minute there!" she breathed, closing the door. "You about to go out?"

Jin crossed his arms loosely and narrowed his eyes. "Yes. I was just going to look for you. Where in the world have you been? I was worried."

Monica made a puppy face. "Aaw, Jin you really do care about me! I'll tell you the scoop in a minute..." She started walking past him, but ended up making contact with his hard chest. The girl retreated a couple steps and looked up at him. "What?"

A slight glower was on his face. "No, tell me what went down now. You claimed you were going to be here by the time I got home, but you weren't. So, what happened?" he demanded firmly.

The Native American placed her hands on his chest. "All right, I'll tell you the deal, but I suggest sittin' down first," she told him, pushing him back as she walked into the living room.

Jin sighed, yet allowed her to usher him back to his recliner, the TV still on. Once he was sitting down, Monica sat on the sofa near his chair.

"Aight, listen to this," she began, her voice laced with excitement. "As you probably guessed I had went to the bank and cashed my check,right?"

Jin nodded, listening carefully to her story.

She ran a hand through her ebony hair, closing her eyes and sighed. "...After I left the bank and was on my way to the subway, I feel someone grab my arm. I'm thinkin' it's Hwoarang playing tricks, but when I hear this strange voice, my heart jumped into my throat!"

The young man's eyes broadened considerably as he leaned forward a little. "Don't tell me you were mugged?!" he exclaimed worriedly.

Monica shook her head. "No, no! I wasn't mugged...let me finish the story."

"OK fine, go on."

"Anyway,we get into a game of 'tug-o-war' with my pocketbook and next thing I know the guy pulls out a freakin' gun!" Her hand went to her bosom. "I was so scared, Jin. But then a certain somebody shows up and saves me. Guess who it was?!"

Jin's dark eyebrows arched. "Hwoarang?"

"Nah."

"Julia? Xiaoyu?"

"No. This was a guy. C'mon you gotta remember the one other person I know outside of work in this city."

Her roommate thought long and hard, then the answer dawned on him. It couldn't be...? "Don't tell me it was my father."

The brown-skinned teen grinned and nodded. "Yeah it was! How you like them apples?"

"_Ano_...apples?"

"Nevermind. Back to the story...Kazuya grabs the guy by the neck, throws him against a building then holds him up in the air by the throat. He was sayin' _something_ in Japanese to the mugger before he punched him in the stomach and kicked him in the head." Monica grimaced as she visualized the powerful kick. "Phew, that guy _had _to be in pain!"

"So what happened after that?"

"Well after the dude ran off, we started talkin' for a bit and he walked me to the subway station. But before I left..."

Jin observed her cheeks flush and a coy smile form on her full lips.

"He asked me for our number. Can you believe that? Who would ever think Kazuya—the most vain man I met—would ask me for my number? That's crazy!" she squealed joyfully. "I should've gave him my cell number but I like to save minutes for my friends and fam over in the States..."

Her friend's jaw dropped in astonishment. _His_ father? Mishima Kazuya?! The arrogant, cold-blooded son of Heihachi? Absolutely ludicrous! Was his father up to something? He hoped not. If his father tried to hurt Monica, he would never forgive him. Still,another part of him, though small was jealous. It was clear his cute roommate had a thing for his father.

He stopped his thoughts. Jealous? Why did he have to be jealous? He couldn't be, they were only roommates anyway.

Presently,Jin sensed something press on his chin to shut his mouth. He looked up to see Monica grinning as she removed her hand from his chin.

"That must've been some shocker, huh?" she quipped.

Jin chortled lightly. "Yeah it was. So is he going to call you tomorrow or something?"

Monica cocked her head to the side. "...Nope. He didn't really say. Just that he might need it in case he has to save me again and make sure I make it home safely."

Jin nodded slowly. "Hmm. But—as you say--'check this out': you are not leaving here without me. I don't want anything to happen to you."

The young woman gasped. "Jin! You mean I gotta stay in the house'till you come home? That's not right!"

"It's necessary."

"No it ain't! How 'bout I just call up one of our friends first and have them meet me at a subway station? That would be fair."

"Oh,all right," he conceded. "That will work I guess. Just don't be by yourself, especially at night!"

"Yes, sir. Whatever you say!"

Jin eyed her skeptically with a smirk. "I mean it."

"Don't worry, I mean it too! You think I wanna go back out there and get mugged?! I think not!" She checked her watch, 9:20 pm. "Welp, I'm gonna take a relaxing shower. Lord knows I need it! I'll catch you later, Jin."

Said man saluted her, earning a smile. He watched her jog up the staircase before turning back to the TV screen. His mind went back to his father. Did his father ask for the number because he only had a physical attraction to Monica? There was no way a man like that had deeper feelings for her. Or could it be something more cynical in order to get to himself?

_ **To Be Continued...** _


	4. Unexpected Love: Ch. 3B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected date with...HIM!

[a/n: I'm gonna continue to break up the chapters cause they just are so long if I don't! Also I find it easier to start pasting plain text so the spacing wont get messed up.]

[DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tekken or any of its characters, I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment only. No money is gained!]

1 week later...

**M**onica sat watching TV, getting drowsy. Jin was upstairs taking a nap, having come home from work an hour ago. Xiaoyu was spending time with her family, and Hwoarang was not in his room. There was Julia, however, the bespectacled woman wasn't as close to herself or Jin as the other fighters.

Another 15 minutes went by before the telephone suddenly rang, bringing the adolescent out of her deep trance. She rushed to the phone and picked it up, expecting one of her friends.

"Yo, what's up?" she answered casually.

"...Uh, hello. May I speak with Ms. Monica?"

The voice did not belong to her Korean buddy. This voice sounded rough, deep and professional. She liked the unfamiliar voice, it was the type most girls would love to hear over the phone.

Monica's brow furrowed in curiosity.

"Speaking. Mind if I ask who's calling?"

"Ah, Ms. Monica. Konbonwa," the rough voice replied. "You will find out who I am soon. But right now I need to know your address."

"Huh? You're coming over to see me?!" she questioned suspiciously.

There was a slight pause. "...Yes, something of the sort. Just please tell me your address. I assure you I have no foul intentions, by all means."

"Wait, how you know me? And do I know you?"

The voice sighed as if bothered. "We have met rather unexpectedly. And yes, you do know me as well. Now...how about the address, Ms. Monica? I have answered your questions, so in return you should answer mine, lest I change my mind."

The dark-haired American still wasn't quite sure who managed to obtain her phone number. "All right, fine. My address is 72 Borojuku St."

"Thank you. I will be arriving there in...20 minutes. When I get there, I'll call you. So please be near your phone, Ms. Monica. Good bye."

"Bye..."

The line immediately disconnected.

The young woman stood, phone still to her ear, not sure what just happened. Who could this stranger who claimed she knew him be? Slowly, she replaced the phone onto its receiver. The teenager ran her hands through her hair in deep thought, sitting down on the love seat. Was this some kind of prank Hwoarang was pulling? Maybe. She wouldn't be stunned if it was. She'll find out when this 'mystery man' showed up.

Impatiently (and with growing excitement, to be honest with herself) she waited for the sexy-sounding man to call back. To occupy herself, she went to the kitchen and grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl before returning to the recliner to watch TV.

Well after the fruit was finished, the phone rang, causing her to jerk alert. With deft speed, she snatched the phone off the receiver.

"Hello?" she answered, voice lined with hope.

"Hello...Ms. Monica?" came the deep voice.

Instantly Monica's heart rate increased. "Y-yeah, it's me," sputtered the girl. She felt a bit foolish now.

Her ears picked up a good-natured grunt on the other end.

"I'm in front of your house at the moment. Come out to the car...I believe you'll know which vehicle I'm in."

Without any goodbye's, he hung up.

The demi-Native American placed the phone onto the receiver and sighed heavily, her heart pounding in her chest. What should she do? Should she wake up Jin and inform him about the strange visitor? Or should she simply go out there? After a quick debate, she chose to go see her visitor. Jin was just a yell away.

It may be a friend of Hwoarang and himself out there, waiting for her. She could almost imagine the 2 of them bursting out laughing when she went to the car.

Monica put on her Nike's, fixed her white tube top, ere self-consciously combing through her tresses to tame any tangles. She then quickly wrote a note to Jin before grabbing her keys and pocketbook, heading out the door. She locked it behind her and began sauntering down the porch steps. A pleasant breeze welcomed her, blowing her hair. Her almond-shaped orbs immediately discovered a shiny black limo sitting in the road.

The girl's eyes widened, impressed by the sight. Did Hwoarang go through all this to surprise her?

After getting over her initial stupor, she strolled up to the rear of the limo. The windows were tinted so that she couldn't even see an outline of the people who were inside. Gazing at her own reflection, she made an annoyed motion with her hand to let Hwoarang know to lower the window instead of having her stand there idly.

Promptly she got her wish, the dark window sliding down ever so slowly. It stopped halfway. Monica's mouth formed an "o" of surprise upon recognizing the passenger.

Kazuya sat coolly, sunglasses concealing his dark eyes. He peered up at her for a moment, a faint smirk gracing his lips.

"Hi there, Ms. Monica. You look...shocked to see me here," he observed.

The American's face became flushed. "Um, hi Mr. Mishima. Yeah, I wasn't expecting to see you of all people, I thought you were a friend of mine."

He leisurely removed his shades, allowing his piercing eyes to scan over her. He admired her interesting taste of style—and her figure.

Monica swallowed, watching his eyes travel back up to her face. Why was she getting nervous around him now?

"You have any friends waiting for you in the house?" questioned Kazuya, glancing behind her at the town home.

"No. they left a couple weeks back." She noticed a flicker of what looked like relief in his dark brown eyes.

"Oh. Good," he said. "Not to sound rude, but I didn't want all of them tagging along..." He took his eyes off her and looked down at this sunglasses as he began wiping his prints off their surface with a handkerchief. "You didn't have any important plans today, did you?"

Monica folded her arms under her bosom. "Nah, I didn't. I was kinda bored just then, matter of fact."

The Asian man nodded, finished with his glasses. "Well, in that case, you wouldn't mind coming along?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She was...she was going to spend the day with him?! Things were getting even more interesting.

"Uh, no. I don't mind at all."

Kazuya reached over in the car and pushed the button to speak to the driver. "Anikki, wa on'nanoko no tame ni doa o akeru, [a/n: where my fluent in Japanese readers at? I know there's gonna be flaws in the Japanese sentences through the story! lol]" he commanded, closing the window.

Shortly, Anikki emerged from the limo and trotted over to Monica's side, nodding a greeting. She smiled and nodded in return. He opened the car door for her as the martial artist made room for her on the seat. The girl climbed in, still not believing she was alone in the car with Jin's infamous father. The chauffeur shut the door then retreated to the front.

Monica inhaled the scents of leather and cologne and smiled to herself. She liked it.

"So...Mr. Mishima, may I ask where are we goin'?" she asked curiously.

He looked at her and smiled weakly. "We are going to my home," he simply replied. "Are you uneasy about that?" A sly glint was in his eyes.

The caramel-skinned teen looked away from him, suddenly bashful. "...No. it's cool with me" she replied softly.

Kazuya's smile grew as he studied her. Her first impression was nearly a total contrast to what she truly was like on the inside. The way she carried herself as well as her sharp tongue, lent her a tough exterior. Yet on the inside she could be shy and modest.

'She may not be innocent like Jun, but she certainly shares her coyness,' he thought in amusement.

Monica could practically feel his eyes burning her skin. She glanced over at him, only to meet his penetrating stare. "What?"

"Nothing much. You simply remind me of someone," he answered carelessly, returning his gaze out the window.

His guest quirked an eyebrow at the back of his head, but decided not to ask about it.

*

Kazuya strutted into the house, Monica following behind him.

"Welcome back," he quipped as he lead her into the large living room.

Monica grinned. "Well, thanks."

She took a seat on the designer sofa.

Her host turned on the TV for her, even though he had no real interest in what was on. "So, how do you like your stay in Tokyo so far?"

"It's fun. I love it here...even though I almost got mugged," answered the girl, recalling the night Kazuya saved her.

"Good to hear. And you have to remember to always have someone with you when it's getting late in the evening," he told her in a fatherly tone. "But anyway, how long do you plan on staying here?"

"Most likely, the end of August. I needed to get away from the States...go to another part of the world." She gazed at the TV screen. "Seein' the same things everyday gets dull."

The man loosened his tie. "I see what you mean." He glanced around casually at the room. "This house...you think it's big?" he suddenly questioned, changing the subject.

Monica narrowed her eyes slightly, looking the place over herself. "Oh, yeah! Definitely."

"Hmph. It's nothing compared to what I used to have," he brushed off her compliment. Here, he wanted to see if she was truly genuine or just being sneaky about being money-hungry.

"Say what? What did you used to have?"

Kazuya frowned. "...The Mishima Zaibatsu." He then paid close attention to her expression.

Her eyes lit up, not in greed, just recognition. No lust for money. No slick grin of scheming. No throwing herself at him like some deceitful, covetous groupie vying for his affection. She merely recognized the name of the financial empire. He was almost disappointed that he was incorrect about her intentions. This young American was unlike the other females.

"Oh, yeah. I heard of that. Um, Heihachi is the Prez of the conglomerate, right?"

The Japanese man's frown deepened at the mention of his old father. "Yes, he is. That no good fool thinks I've given up on it, but he has no clue. The Zaibatsu was better off in my hands!" he growled, clenching his fists.

Monica grew a tad edgy seeing him so upset. "But the place you have ain't bad either, Mr. Mishima. Way better than where I'm at!"

He looked at her, the fire in his eyes dying down. "...Hai. I guess you're right. But I still plan on getting the Zaibatsu back."

"Don't tell me you and your dad don't get along?" Monica sighed.

"Right, we do not. I dislike—no, despise—him. He was an a**hole towards me my entire life! If you knew him like I did...you'd hate him too."

Monica frowned inwardly. It seemed nobody in the Mishima bloodline got along, which was a crying shame...yet Jin didn't say he actually hated Kazuya and vice-versa. So there was a spark of hope for those 2. from her knowledge, Heihachi was the true villain since neither descendant liked him.

Speaking of Jin, she decided to bring him up to see Kazuya's reaction.

"Ya know, Mr. Mishima, you're related to my roommate."

Kazuya came out his musings of defeating his parent to give her his attention. "Oro? What is her name?"

"It's a he. His name is Jin."

The man blinked. The 2 were really roommates? Well, that explained why he was with the Americans at the tournament. He nodded. "Interesting. How is he?"

His guest was relieved no malice was in his tone. "He's doin' great! Has a nice job and everything. You 2 look so much alike, except in the eyes. He must have his mom's eyes."

He gazed at her as he pondered something. "Give Jin my regards."

The girl smiled. "Sure thing. Boy, I'm glad you don't hate him. For a second, I was startin' to think nobody in the family got along."

Kazuya sighed. "There's no need for me to hate my son. He has done no wrong in my eyes. However, he may not think too highly of me...thanks to my snake of a father."

If he was to be honest, he also held no grudges against his grandfather, Jinpachi. He was the only one that treated him normally during his childhood. But the man had been imprisoned and ended up dying in his cell. It was just another reason to hold no love for Heihachi and his treachery. He wasn't going to go there about his father's lies about his mother. He wasn't going to believe it.

They fell silent, staring blankly at the TV. Each had his/her mind elsewhere. After a few minutes, Kazuya got off the sofa and strolled into the dining room. Monica stared after him, wondering what he was up to.

"Ms. Monica, come here for a moment, please?" his voice called

She gingerly got off the sofa and went into the dining room. "What is it?"

He faced her, a questioning expression on his visage. "Look at this painting. Do you know what each of these animals stand for in China...or here, for that matter?"

Monica faced the painting after momentarily being distracted by noises of a few people in the kitchen beginning to set up to prepare the food for cooking. Must be nice having your own chefs to make your meals.

She examined the lively drawing. It was a tiger battling a dragon. Luckily, she had a little knowledge on these 2 creatures. "Um, yeah. The tiger represents strength, and the dragon is a representation of wisdom..."

Kazuya nodded, slightly impressed. "Yes, very good. Which would you say that I am?"

The young American cocked her head to the side, staring at the painting for a moment before checking out the Mishima. "You are definitely a tiger, but you could be both since you seem like a smart guy."

He smirked. "Thank you for the compliment. Yet I myself would not consider me a dragon. A tiger...yes."

Monica's brows drew together in confusion. "Why not a dragon?"

"Because of a foolish thing I have done long ago. I was around 5 at the time."

"Hmm, pretty young! But we all do dumb things when we're real young. What did you do?"

He cast his eyes down. "It was something terrible that cannot be undone. I rather not tell you about it."

The adolescent couldn't help but roll her eyes. Deja vu once again! Both he and Jin had some dark secrets they refused to discuss with her.

"OK, enough of the sad stories. I bet you're tired of them, because I sure am," Kazuya continued. "Come. We're going to the den now."

Secretly relieved, Monica followed him through the living room, where he paused to switch off the TV, before continuing to the den. He turned on his stereo system and inserted a CD into the player. Soon a familiar, flowing tone floated over the speakers into the quiet room. The girl stood listening, trying to recall what song it was.

"I know the name of this! It's...Cold somethin'," Monica struggled.

Kazuya turned around. "Cold Tears," he reminded her smugly.

She snapped her fingers and pointed at him. "Yeah, that's it. I was on the right track."

When the woman started to sing, Kazuya sauntered toward Monica. "Care to dance?" he questioned intently, reaching out a hand to her.

The teenager shook her head. "Oh no. I'm not too good with waltzing..."

She gazed into his mysterious eyes. They seemed to have a hypnotizing effect on her, pulling her deep into their depths.

Before she realized it, she found herself saying, "Yes. I would like to dance."

Her hand gripped his larger one as if it had a mind of its own.

{[Waltz!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfis8RQZpUw)}

With a predatory grin, the scarred male tugged her over to him. His muscled arm encircled her waist, pressing her close to his body so that they were just touching. Their hands remained clasped together, arms bent at the elbows.

Monica's eyes were round like a doe's trapped in headlights and her heart was beating very fast. Her chest was lightly pressing on Kazuya's, making her quite nervous. Plus if she had been 5 inches taller, she would be face-to-face with him.

'Can't get any closer than this!" she thought coyly.

The 2 stood staring at each other, Kazuya's grin lessening to a smirk.

"Just feel the music and follow my lead..." he instructed.

Suddenly his feet began moving in time with the music. Monica was awkward for the first few minutes, but quickly listened to his advice, improving her movements dramatically. Her uneasiness melted away as she gained more confidence. She kept her mind clear, focusing on the music and her host's timing.

They continued dancing nicely through the songs, the time long forgotten. The 19 year old's eyes were trained on Kazuya's seductive face as the room virtually appeared to spin around them. Her body felt as if it were limp and she became very relaxed. She even allowed herself to tilt her head back a little and close her amber eyes, pretending she was floating. Every part of her felt so good, she thought it was a dream. She could still sense the fighter's powerful hand resting on her lower back.

Unknown to her, the man bent his head and inhaled her body spray, the tip of his nose barely grazing her exposed neck. He straightened and squeezed her hand to bring her back to reality, as the music's volume decreased, signifying the end.

Monica's eyes slowly opened as she lowered her head. Kazuya's piercing eyes watched her. He released her hand and smirked.

"Looks like you enjoyed yourself after all," he observed.

She stepped back and giggled. "Yeah, I did. Didn't think I would feel so relaxed."

'How long have we been dancing anyway?' the girl added in thought.

Her eyes drifted back to his. She was beginning to like looking into them, so long as they weren't cold. Right now they were nearly glowing, more lively. A hint of allure lay hidden beneath the surface. They nearly beckoned to her. She broke eye contact before she wandered back into his muscular arms.

"So, what's next?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I do believe it's time for dinner," he answered, walking past her to the dining room.

She pursued him and out of nowhere, a delicious aroma entered her nasal passages. Food. Her stomach rumbled with anticipation.

They entered the dining area where the servants were just finishing preparing the table. The dishware was expensive China.

"Hello, Mr. Mishima," greeted one of the older servants in Japanese. "Dinner is done and will be served shortly. Please, sit down."

Kazuya nodded and escorted Monica over to a chair before being seated himself by a servant. All kinds of Japanese dishes were set before them, the American feeling like royalty. She had grown accustomed to Asiatic meals now, so she was eager to eat. The older servant returned with a pail of ice, a bottle of champagne nestled inside. He poured some of the beverage into their wine glasses and bowed before leaving the room. The others did likewise after everything was brought out.

"Mr. Mishima, this is fantastic. I ain't never eat like this," Monica remarked.

"Well if you're me, you'll be getting all this and a lot more. Bon appétite !"

* *

Monica and Kazuya laughed goofily at his small joke. The table had been cleared with the exception of their wine glasses and a couple bottles of champagne. They drank enough that they were now tipsy, or in Monica's case, drunk.

"Kazuya, you crack mmeee up!" she slurred, eyes half-lidded. "You shouldn't talk about people like thhhat."

The tipsy Kazuya waved his hand carelessly. "Nnooo, no. If it's the truth, then what's the harm?"

His guest gazed into the empty kitchen. "Hey did they leave already?" she asked in confusion.

The martial artist squinted into the room himself. "Uh, yes. They have been gone for over an hour. Lay off the alcohol, Monica."

She cackled heartily. "Aaahh...a little alcohol is good. What can I say? Yyyou was drinkin' too!" the brown-skinned female accused before gulping down the remnants of champagne in her crystal.

Kazuya chuckled then put a finger to his lips. "I know, just don't go tell anyone. Nnnow bring me that bottle."

Monica grinned broadly and brought the champagne over to him, her legs a bit unsure. She abruptly stumbled and fell onto his lap, laughing [a/n: these 2 are just too much].

"Kami-sama, onna! Watch your step!" he exclaimed, half-serious. Smiling giddily, he took the bottle out of her hand and poured himself a glass. "This is my last glasssss."

"Ya said that almost a half hour ago, Kazuya," Monica quipped, smacking him on the shoulder in mirth.

The teen remained sitting on his lap, feeling woozy.

Kazuya drank half his beverage then gazed at her. She was not paying him any attention and was staring into space. He took the opportunity to study her. The lighting seemed to make her hair and skin glow as if she was a goddess. He ran a hand over her arm as if in wonder. She had a flawless complexion, her skin soft and supple.

Feeling his touch, the girl shifted and faced him.

He smiled faintly then continued to examine her. The first thing his eyes were drawn to...were her breasts [a/n: lol]. They were a bit bigger than what he was used to, perhaps a size E80 [a/n: Japanese size, obviously not the same as USA sizes]. More than a handful, held tightly by the snug top she was wearing. His eyes finally traveled lower to her hips, which were wide and curvy—a very nice trait to have when wearing form-fitting clothing. He stared at her legs. They weren't slim, but they were toned. He could tell she works out, which is always a plus in his book. His dark eyes then roamed up to her face. Her eyebrows appeared to have been arched and trimmed, and her light orbs were dancing with happiness. His gaze settled on her full, glossed lips. The fighter suddenly desired to know what they felt like. How soft they were. They practically screamed at him to kiss them.

"What, Kazuya?" she questioned, sounding somewhat self-conscious.

He ignored her and slowly leaned forward to avoid frightening her, timid as she was. His lips pressed gently against hers for several seconds before he pulled away, eyes fixed on them. Goodness, they were so soft.

Kazuya checked her face again. A lovely blush crept over her high cheeks as she stared back at him. She looked...beautiful.

"My bishoujo," he murmured, running his fingers down her cheek.

"Bishoujo? Wh-what's that?"

"Beautiful girl."

His attention returned to her pouty lips. He didn't know if the alcohol was affecting him that badly or what, but he wished to kiss her again and again... Giving into his will, he kissed her once more, this time more aggressively. One of his hands entangled in her raven hair, the other firmly squeezed her upper leg. She went rigid, then eventually let out a low moan as she relaxed. Her lips parted slightly in the process and Kazuya swiftly swept his tongue inside, his passion building rapidly.

Soon Monica's mind became numb, and encouraged by the alcohol, kissed him back. One of her hands absently reached into his partially unbuttoned dress shirt. When her fingers skimmed over his scar, he jerked from the sensation and unconsciously released a small growl—courtesy of the entity within. That shattered his last restraint of control.

Lifting her up easily, he made his way up the stairs, the girl blissfully unaware of her surroundings.

* * *

Monica awoke gradually after feeling the pressure growing in her bladder. She must have been drinking before she went to bed. Besides that, she felt sore in-between her legs for some strange reason, yet she felt relaxed and comfortable. She did not feel like getting out of the bed to use the lavatory.

The young woman stretched her legs out, wiggling her toes as she stared up at the ceiling. From the weak light outside she could tell it wasn't quite dawn. When she was about to sit up, a sound of deep breathing stopped her. Goodness, was Jin breathing that loud from his room?! She never was able to hear him unless it was the rare times he started snoring. It sounded like the boy was in the room with her...wait a minute! He was in her room! What was he doing in her bedroom?

She rolled her eyes and turned her head to the right. Sure enough, there was her roommate sleeping away, his arms wrapped around her waist. No, hang on. It wasn't Jin...it was Kazuya! How and when did Kazuya end up in her room?!

The American squeezed her eyes shut, running over the events that happened yesterday. Suddenly, the answer hit her. She vaguely remembered getting drunk last night while she was at his home with him. And then...things got a little heated? She ran a hand down her face in disbelief, her heart rate speeding up. Kazuya of all people?! She would have never thought...

Her musings were cut short as the pressure in her bladder increased. She had to go—now. But she really didn't want to wake Kazuya up. He might get enraged that he slept with her and order her to leave his house immediately.

Gingerly, Monica sat up, gritting her teeth as she hoped against hope that the man would not be disturbed. However, when she was halfway out his arms, they suddenly re-wrapped around her and pulled her back down on the large bed.

"Where are you going?" he demanded in a tired voice.

Monica's eyes were as large as saucers.

"Uh...I was just goin' to the bathroom," she replied nervously.

Kazuya's eyes narrowed while he released her. "You better come back."

She nodded once and got out of the bed. Although the lighting from outside was still dim, his dark orbs watched her nude form walk to the master bathroom, a faint smirk on his lips. When she closed the door, he yawned and looked over at his digital clock: 5:05 am. He groaned with exhaustion and irritation. The girl picked a fine time to use the restroom.

During his wait for her return, he recalled their night of sex. There was the matter of Devil being exceptionally smug about what was transpiring, lustily growling out a comment in his mind about it being the first time he was able to bed a Christian, yet he decided to forget about the demon and his pride over his accomplishment. He didn't think he would (nor did he plan to) go that far with her last night, but honestly he couldn't say he regretted it. Simply thinking about her voluptuous body squirming beneath him and how she called his name, made him feel tingly all over. He hadn't slept this good in a long time.

The male let his head fall onto the overstuffed pillow.

"D***," he uttered dreamily [a/n: lol]

A minute later Monica's curvaceous silhouette entered the room. She moved with such poise, he wouldn't mind observing her walk all day.

The teenager climbed onto the king-sized bed, swiftly pulling the sheets over her body like she was ashamed of it. Sighing softly, she lied down on her side, facing away from him. Kazuya scowled, feeling offended by her action.

He liked the sensation of her body against him, so he scooted over behind her in the spoon position. Monica stiffened. She felt his big hands on her tummy and his breath tickle the side of her neck. She picked up on him mumbling something in Japanese into her ear, ere he nipped her neck. His strong arms tightened around her, tugging her flush against his torso. The martial artist exhaled heavily then quickly fell back asleep afterwards [a/n: think he LIKES her? Nah he has a physical thing for her but that's about it...]

Monica remained awake for a few moments, still tense. That was it? He wasn't angry or disgusted about sleeping with her? Wow. She allowed herself to relax in his embrace, feeling his hard body against her back. Listening to his even breathing, the girl was finally lulled to sleep.

*

Champagne irises fluttered open several hours later. The sun's rays were shining brightly into the room. She blinked then sat up, glancing around. For a second she nearly forgot where she was. The girl glanced at Kazuya's side of the bed, only to find him gone. In his place was a small yellow note. She took it off the pillow to read it:

_Ms. Monica,_

_I hope you enjoyed your stay. I will be looking forward to seeing you again very soon..._

_\--K_

The girl smiled coyly at his words and sighed. He was actually considerate enough to leave a note for her rather than just disappear. She was relieved to know he didn't view her as some loose woman for a one-nighter. Unlike many of her friends or acquaintances, she merely had 1 sexual partner in her life. Her parents, and her faith, brought her up as a moderately chaste lady. Besides, with all the STD's and drama over extra-marital pregnancies or children, she wasn't easily tempted to sleep around. Thankfully, now that she remembers more of last night, Kazuya had a mind to use protection and she herself was armed with the birth-control implant. Accidents happen so it's best to be guarded.

After she got dressed, she went downstairs. There was a maid buzzing around, tidying up the place.

The butler spotted her as she slowed her progress down the steps to look around uncertainly. He strolled over to the bottom of the staircase and smiled up at her, bowing once she took notice of him. The adolescent bowed her head in return. Honestly, he never expected his boss to be into women like the young, dark-skinned foreigner. He always brought pretty, slim Asian women to the house. But now that he got to see her, he could understand...those light, Asiatic eyes and waist-length ebony hair.

"Good morning, Ms. Monica," he greeted in a stronger accent than Kazuya. "Mr. Mishima has left for day. Breakfast is ready for you...please follow."

He turned and marched into the kitchen, Monica behind him.

Hearing her footsteps coming into the room with him, the butler turned to her and held a hand up to stop her.

"You may sit in dining room, Ms. Monica," he told her politely.

"Oh, right..."

After she waited a couple minutes, the chubby butler came trotting into the dining room with a tray of a plate of eggs, bacon and toast, orange juice, milk and eating utensils.

'Yes, it must be something more to this one,' he mused silently as he discreetly examined her. 'Mishima-san has never asked me to make his female guests breakfast before. Interesting.'

"Breakfast," he announced, setting the tray down. "Enjoy."

She nodded and smiled. "Thank you!"

"You are welcome." He exited out the room with a bow to let her eat.

Monica smiled to herself as she thought about Kazuya. He was a pretty decent guy once you got past the cold, arrogant exterior.

* * * *

"Jin! Jin!?" the American called after she got into the house.

She received no response, the house as quiet as it was before she left with Kazuya. As she strolled farther into the living room, a movement caught her eye. She instinctively faced its direction to identify what it was. It was Jin, waking up from his slumber on the sofa. At least he had pajamas on.

He rubbed his eyes, glancing around in bewilderment. Monica grinned.

"Aaw, Jin. Don't tell me you waited up most of the night for me?!"

He gazed at her. "...Oh, yeah I did. Where were you?"

Monica smiled. "Just at a friend's place." Then Jin's reply sank in. he actually waited up for her?! She felt so selfish. Sighing, she trudged over to him and sat down. "Poor Jin. Man I feel so bad," she cooed, throwing her arms around his head and laying it on her chest.

Jin grunted at her roughness.

"Next time I promise to call and let you know if I'll be out all night," she continued, stroking his hair.

The young man caught a whiff of a foreign smell off her skin. Smelled like a man's cologne. He wrinkled his nose.

"Hmm, I can tell you were at a friend's place all right."

Monica ceased stroking his head, furrowing her brow. "Huh? How?"

Her roommate removed her arms from his head and straightened up. "You smell like him. It's practically all over you."

The girl mentally kicked herself, rolling her rich golden eyes as she tilted her head back. "Aight, you got me."

His dark orbs naturally swooped over her neck. They stopped when he noticed a large red spot where her neck and shoulder joined. Squinting, he pushed her thick hair out the way to find out what it was.

"He sure did a...number on you, as you Americans say."

Monica stared back at him in shock. "What is it?!"

"You have a huge...hmm...passion mark." He tapped a finger directly onto it. "Right there."

She blushed heavily. "Aw no. this sucks, now everybody will know what happened."

Her hand self-consciously rubbed the mark.

Jin felt a twinge of disappointment, but shrugged it off. "Well, look on the bright side. At least your hair is certainly long enough to cover it."

"Yeah, true..." She suddenly recalled what Kazuya told her. "Oh...I met up with your dad again. He wasn't that happy to see me again but we talked briefly. After making me feel like a kid about that night I almost got mugged, he told me to give you his regards," she bluffed. "He's sexy and all, but boy can he be demeaning sometimes."

Jin's eyebrows rose slightly, his face surprised. "Nani? Whoa, OK. That was totally unexpected. Didn't think the guy cared. Knowing him, he probably really didn't."

She shrugged. "Never know. He seemed kinda interested when I told him you was my roommate."

The boy only grunted in response.

"But...I better go freshen up now."

"You're not the only one!" he exclaimed, stretching his limbs.

Monica glanced back at him, grinning. "Uh huh, I see that."

The Japanese chuckled and attempted to kick her in the rear playfully. She hopped away from his bare foot, giggling, then dashed up the steps.

His smile faded as he pondered who she could've been with last night. His first guest was Hwoarang. He clearly remembered the looks Hwoarang would give Monica and how he couldn't keep his hands off her when he and himself met up again.

Hwoarang had brought the girl back home from their outing while Jin was sitting on the porch, enjoying the mild, breezy night. They exchanged civil, albeit wise-guy greetings at first then all of them sat having a decent conversation. As Monica explained how she met the Korean, Jin noticed that Hwoarang would often times gaze at her affectionately or put an arm around her, tug on her tresses, even touch her leg. When it was time to call it a night, the redhead had the audacity to slap her on the rear as a good night. Jin was astonished at how close they were and that Monica was merely annoyed that he touched her behind.

Jin cleared his mind of the scene. In the small chance that it wasn't Hwoarang, then it was some native Monica had met that he wasn't informed about.

Kazuya was far from a suspect.

To Be Continued...

[a/n: there was a scene of Monica and Xiaoyu talking over the phone about things, but I just didn't think that was necessary to keep in the story and I was ready to move on to the part C, which is mostly filler to be honest lol]


	5. Unexpected Love: Ch. 3C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some fun in the sun!

[DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tekken or its characters, I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment only. No money is gained!]

4 days later...

Jin reached in his mailbox and scanned through the envelopes in his hand. Most was junk mail, 1 was a monthly magazine on martial arts he ordered, and another envelope contained the rent invoice. He retreated into the house, throwing out the unnecessary mail before calling Monica down.

"Oi, Monica! Guess what's here? The rent notice!" he announced with fake delight.

"Oh really? It's finally here..." she replied, making her way down the steps.

The girl sported a jean skirt that stopped a few inches above the knee and a single-strapped pink tank. Jin was wearing a light blue polo shirt with jean shorts. He admired her outfit for a moment before snapping his eyes up to her face.

"Yeah..." he agreed. "Let's see how much we'll be paying up today, shall we?"

"Huh, that's true you never mentioned how much the rent is."

The tall man neatly opened the envelope and took out the notice. "OK, total is...175,000 yen."

"I see. Not bad. So I guess I pay 87-5?"

Jin nodded. "Yes, you got it. Were you able to manage your money OK? If you need a little help for your first month--"

"Nah, I'm fine thank you. Luckily I'm pretty good at money management, for my age. And, push come to shove, my parents gave me a lot of money for graduation. I put it in my savings so that I wouldn't really touch it. I could always use that for back up." She placed her finger on her chin in pensive thought. "Thank God I never had to worry about money growing up. I know a lot of childhood friends and acquaintances that did or still do. It's no joke. There originally was gonna be 6 of us to visit here, but the other girls couldn't afford it."

She made a mental note to take some souvenirs back for them as well.

Jin nodded in understanding. "Right, I see where you're coming from. The Zaibatsu always kept my family financially stable. There was nothing too expensive for us...especially for my grandfather. He wasn't very appreciative though..." He gestured to his surroundings. "As you can see however, I'm no longer living there so I'm making do. The theater pay is pretty good, fortunately."

"Yeah, it is. Thanks again for your help landing the job, Jin."

The martial artist's face softened and he bowed his head. "It's no problem, glad I could help." After a beat of companionable silence, he continued, "Well, we gotta pay the rent by the 1st of the month. I rather we pay tomorrow and get it over with. I forgot to pay it one time and they were quick to write me a letter about risking being evicted if I don't pay within the next 5 days."

Monica giggled. "I know you were hot!"

Her roommate paused uncertainly, not sure what she meant, before it clicked. "Oh! You mean angry. Yes, I sure was!" He walked to the kitchen to magnetize the statement on the fridge. "That's exactly why I keep the notice posted until I pay."

All of a sudden, the phone rang.

"I got it!" shouted Monica, sprinting for the telephone. "Hello?"

"Hey, what's up, babe?" came a smooth, confident voice.

The American recognized it as Hwoarang. She smiled. "Oh, I'm just chillin' right about now. What are you doin'?"

Jin appeared in the kitchen entrance and held his hands up in question to who was on the phone. Monica pointed to herself to indicate it was for her.

"Same here. Do you got any plans today?" Hwoarang replied.

"Nope. I'm off today. Why, did you have something you tryin' to do?"

"I'm thinking of the museum. The science museum."

"...You mean the National Science Museum?"

"Yeah that's the one. It's been awhile since I stepped foot in any museum. So, what you say? Wanna join me?"

"Hmm...OK, sure. It's a date." She glanced over at Jin. "I wish I could bring a certain someone with me. But they gotta work every weekday."

Jin gazed at her, knowing she was referring to himself.

The Korean became quiet for a couple seconds. "They? Who is 'they'?"

"...Oh an old friend of yours."

"Hmph. Nah, a tailgater will f*** up the mood. I just want it to be us."

"Please, we're goin' to a science museum. What's so romantic about that?" Monica sneered jokingly.

The redhead chortled. "C'mon, work with me here. But anyway, meet me at the usual station at 2:30, OK?"

"Aight. I'll see you then. Bye-bye."

"Later."

Jin smirked at her as he came into the living room. "I suppose that was Hwoarang, right?"

"Yes, it was."

"And you wanted me to come along? We would probably argue half the time over who's the better fighter!"

"But it would be nice to get y'all together on good speaking terms, don't you think? That time on the porch don't really count, cause I did most of the talkin'."

"Yeah maybe so. But he needs to humble himself first. And for a dude like that...it won't be easy."

Monica crossed her arms. "Well, it could work if I'm around. I got some influencing over him. So it's very possible."

Jin shrugged. "I guess."

He then thought about how long it been since he trained. He hadn't trained in over a week! It was time to resharpen his skills.

"You know, while you're out, I can train before I go in for work. I can't let myself get out of shape."

"Hmm, good idea." She looked at the clock. "I should get my pocketbook and get a move on."

The girl ran upstairs to retrieve her belongings and make sure she looked OK. Soon she came back down the stairs, trotting directly to the door.

"Have a nice day and don't work too hard, Jin!" she called over her shoulder.

Jin scoffed. "Yes, I won't, thanks. Have fun out there."

The teen waved before shutting the door behind her. The karate fighter's smile lessened after she was gone. He didn't realize how lonesome it could get without her around. Before he didn't care much about being alone. Heaving a sigh, he dashed up the steps to change into his traditional karate pants.

After he was fully changed, he checked himself in the mirror. He flexed his arms and legs, getting the blood to circulate thoroughly in his limbs. A few bolts of red-hued electricity flashed around his body as he channeled his energy as well. The man suddenly threw a jab at the reflection in the mirror, and smirked. Yeah, this is what he needed. Some good, intense training. It was the best way to let out some tension and anger.

Psyched up for a good workout, Jin jogged down the steps to train in the privacy of his basement.

Hwoarang kicked an empty soda can across the platform, thrusting his hands into his black, baggy denim jeans [a/n: I don't care how those artists draw his clothing in the later Tekken games, he wears loose-fit clothing like a man should lol]. He gazed down the dark tunnel for any sign of Monica's train. Soon enough, he could hear the faint rumble of an approaching train, a soft beam of light leading the way.

He squinted his eyes to read the numbers on the in-coming train. 28B...that was her train. A small smile made its presence on his lips.

'Bout time!' he thought with relief.

The train slowed to a stop and opened its doors for the passengers. Hwoarang backed up, eyes intensely searching the sea of people for his friend. After a minute or 2, the crowd thinned out, but he failed to find Monica. Did she forget about him that fast or did she get held up at the house? The redhead muttered a curse and scowled.

Out of nowhere, a pair of arms snaked around his waist from behind. He was about to elbow the person in the face, when he realized the color of the feminine arms. Monica.

"Hi, Hwoarang," she greeted casually, once he spun around in her embrace. A sly smile was plastered on her caramel face.

The Korean shook his head. "Monica, you startled me! I thought you were some stranger at first."

"Yeah, now you see how it is to be snuck up on," she taunted, about to release him.

The taekwondo expert trapped her arms around him with his own slick smile.

"Babe, if it gets me wrapped up in your arms like this...I don't mind the lesson at all." Feeling a manly pride at her faint blush, he decided to let her step back. "What took you so long?"

"Hey, it wasn't me! It was my train taking its sweet time," she defended, putting her hands up innocently.

His lively eyes quickly scanned her from head to toe and back again. He liked the outfit.

"You look good today. Was that all for me?" he joked, attention drifting down once again to her chest.

"No...I already had this on before you even called," replied Monica, checking out Hwoarang's attire herself. "You look cute too. Those sneakers are hot!"

Hwoarang smirked, lifting a pant leg so she could clearly see his fancy Nike's. "Thanks, I'm a sneaker guy as you know." Letting his pant leg fall back down, he checked to see if the train to the museum was about to come through. "That train should be comin' through in 5 or so. You up for dinner later?"

"Dinner? Wow, this really is a date, huh?"

"...Um, well I ain't intend for it to be, but you tend to get hungry after walking around a museum all day."

"That's so true! Yeah, I'm all for dinner afterwards."

"Good. For a minute there I thought you had to get home to Jin," he teased with a wink.

Monica rolled her amber eyes at him. "See, there you go with the jokes. But I gotta say..." she rubbed her chin in thought. "Jin is mighty fine lookin'. I never went out with a Japanese guy before...or Asian for that matter. If he wasn't my roomy, I'd date him if he asked."

Hwoarang scoffed. "And what about me?"

The girl studied him. "Eh, you aight, I guess."

That was a blow to his pride. His mouth fell open in disbelief. Did she really mean that?!

"W-what?!"

Monica laughed heartily. "Psych, nah. I'm just messin' around, Hwoarang. You're a cutie, for sure." She hugged him.

"OK, that's good to hear," he breathed. "You're a cutie too, babe," he added, pinching her cheek.

She swatted his arm away, just as their train came rolling in front of them.

"That was an interesting museum," Monica commented.

"Yeah...and there was some weird stuff in that place too," added Hwoarang. He checked his watch. It was 7:18. "Man, time sure flew by. Where ya wanna eat at? Pizza place?"

"Uh, OK. I could use some American food. Where's a pizza shop at 'round here?"

They began walking down the long flight of steps.

"I saw one a few blocks away from here. Hope you don't mind walking."

"I'm used to it. No big deal."

The majority of the natives would cast mildly surprised glances in their direction as they strolled down the street, Hwoarang's arm draped over Monica's shoulders. It was rare to see a red-haired Korean and a woman of color together....even though they were actually friends. The 2 were immune to the attention and could care less what people thought. Let them think they were a couple.

After searching 10 minutes they finally spotted the pizza shop across from them on a corner.

"There it is! See, I told you I saw one around here!" Hwoarang boasted.

"Yeah, yeah! I see it, Hwoarang. It's just that I ain't think it was this far away," said Monica.

"No, you said I must've been seein' things," he corrected. Ignoring her sigh, he noticed the light change and began crossing the street. "C'mon, time to cross."

She scurried across the street behind him to the shop. When they entered, they discovered the place wasn't crowded and even several seats were available.

The Asian male led Monica up to the counter, reading the menus that hung on the wall. Luckily, he knew how to read Japanese somewhat. A slice of cheese pizza was 85 yen, toppings an extra 20. drinks were 70. He relayed the information to the girl.

"So, what ya want?"

"Umm, 2 slices of sausage and I'm gonna grab a juice out the 'frigerator..."

Her friend nodded. He told the baker what the both of them wanted and paid the money. He got himself a drink then sat down with the American to wait on their food.

"What you wanna do after we eat?" asked the redhead, taking a sip of soda.

"I was thinking of goin' back to the house," Monica answered.

The martial artist rolled his eyes. "Boring. But if you wanna chill, come with me to my room instead. I'm sure Jin can wait."

His amber-eyed friend glared at him. "Jin's still working for you info. What, do you want me and Jin to get together?"

"Well, no. it's just fun to tease you about him. That's the 1 that always gets ya," he chuckled.

"Y'know, that's why you and Xiaoyu are sleepin' together! Ha!" teased Monica.

Hwoarang's dark eyes widened, not expecting the come back. "Hey, we are not sleeping together! I could probably get arrested for that crap!"

The girl burst out laughing. "That was a good one. I needed that laugh."

"Hmph. Yeah I'm sure you did..." he grumbled, crossing his arms.

Later, the 2 friends caught the subway to Hwoarang's hotel, The Princeton.

They busted in his room, laughing.

"Did you see the look on that old man's face?!" the taekwondo fighter asked in between giggles.

"Oh man, that was so funny!"

"I know, right? His mouth was just wide open when he saw us together. I'm surprised a fly didn't go in there!" Monica exclaimed.

"People crack me up round this city."

Hwoarang jumped onto his bed and grabbed the remote off the lampstand.

"It's nice in here," the Native American observed, admiring the room. "And you were smart to get a single."

The Korean flicked on the television. "Yeah, I ain't wanna stay in some cheesy hotel. But since I'm stayin' here so long, I'm gonna have to find a place to rent. If I stay here for the entire time, my bill's gonna be sky-high!"

Monica settled down onto the comfortable queen-sized bed. "True. That's exactly why I'm staying with Jin. Where you gonna stay at?"

"Um, not sure right now. It'll come to mind soon. I know I don't wanna stay with somebody else." He glanced at her. "Ain't there some furnished apartments around here? That's what I heard anyways."

The girl thought about it. "...Maybe. I wouldn't be surprised if there were. Tokyo is pretty popular with the tourists anyhow."

Hwoarang returned his attention to the TV screen and flicked through the channels to find an interesting movie. "All right. so...what's on your schedule for Friday? You workin' or what?"

He ceased his surfing when he saw a football game.

Monica frowned. "Yeah. But Saturday is a good day for me. What's up?"

"I've been lookin' through this brochure and there's this water park I wanna go to. It's gonna get hotter out towards the weekend, so I figured it'll be a good place to go to for a day." He pried his dark brown eyes off the screen and onto her. "Feel free to bring any friends along; the more the merrier. Besides..." The boy drawled, twirling a lock of her hair. "I wanna see you in a bathing suit."

She giggled. "Oh, no. I better wear a shirt over me!"

With his eyes boring into her, Hwoarang smiled. "No, don't do that. You have a nice bod, show it off sometimes." He moved a little closer to her. "Monica, tell me," he began, tracing his fingers around her face. "Why won't you let me in?"

She appeared confused. "Red, what are you getting at?"

"You remember that time when we first met in the cool bar?" His digits moved to her chin. "When I saw you I really wanted to see what you were about. My friends and I were checkin' you and Alexis out for a little while at the pool table, until they urged me to go talk to you." He chuckled lightly. "I was a little nervous at first, but I got over it. Once we got into a long conversation after I taught you one of my moves, I was thinkin' 'this ulzzang is just so addictive!' and I wanted to get with you. I never worked up the courage to actually come out and ask you to be my girl though...even when we would meet up occasionally after that day."

His intense orbs peered into hers.

Monica remained silent, not sure what she should say. Fortunately her Korean friend continued.

"Monica, I know we've been friends for awhile, but I wanna be more than that now. It never ceases to amaze me how you can walk into a room and light it up...how you make me feel so d*** good just by being in my presence." He paused, his face leaning closer to hers as his finger ran over her lips. "I want you to be my girl, babe," he finished in a whisper.

The American was moved by his confession about her. She couldn't even bring herself to resist him when his lips suddenly captured hers in a tender kiss. It lasted for several seconds until he broke it off. He gazed at her shy, blushing countenance.

"So, what do you think?"

Monica looked down. "...Hwoarang, I ain't think you felt that serious about me." She faced the TV. "But, I'm...not feeling the same way. I'm sorry," she told him, a pang of culpability rising inside her.

The Korean was somewhat hurt but accepted the fact that she was not romantically interested in him...at least not now. Maybe, just maybe she'll change her mind later. His hand intertwined with hers, causing Monica to look back at him.

"It's cool. I understand. But I'll be waitin' if you change your mind."

He raised her hand to his lips and planted a sweet kiss on the back of it. Monica couldn't help but feel cherished at the gesture.

Following Saturday...

"Jin, you're comin' with us!" Monica told him firmly, hands on her hips. "You are not sittin' in the house all day long on a Saturday."

The Japanese man sighed forcefully. "Monica, c'mon. Do I really have to go?"

"Yes! Come on out and have some fun with your roommate and friends. You work 5 days a week, you need to have a little fun!" She put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't let him get to you, OK?"

Jin scowled. "Who?"

"Hwoarang. I know you ain't that friendly with him, but y'all should squash the tension between y'all"

He rolled his eyes. "OK, fine. I will come if it will make you feel better."

The young woman clasped her hands together happily. "Good! Thanks, Jin! Besides, it's gonna be hot today, so the water park will be just the thing you need." She directed Jin to the stairs. "Now, go up there and get your stuff together."

"I still can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered,climbing the steps.

Jin and Monica exited the train and looked around for Xiaoyu, Hwoarang and Julia. They soon found Julia, who was waving to them. The 2 roommates walked up to her.

"Hey, Julia! Ready to get drenched?" Monica greeted.

"Oh, yeah, you bet! It's just so hot, that's all I wanna do." She turned to Jin and smiled. "Hi, Jin! Nice of you to join us!"

Jin returned the smile. "Hey. Believe me, I had to be persuaded to come along, really. I was thinking about relaxing at the house under the air conditioning."

The female fighter tittered.

Monica glanced around for the rest of the group. "Where's the other 2? are they here?"

The Native American nodded. "Well, Xiaoyu's around. She's sitting on a bench somewhere..." She stopped to search for her petite acquaintance. "Oh, here she comes."

The Chinese girl made her way over to them, grinning. "Hi, you 2!"

"Hey, Xiaoyu!" both replied in unison.

She gazed at Jin. "I'm surprised you're here! I thought it was gonna be us girls and Hwoarang."

"Yeah, I'm here, thanks to a certain somebody." he accused playfully, casting a sideways glance at Monica.

His roommate cuffed him on the arm, smiling before she leaned against him.

"Speaking of Hwoarang, where is he?" Jin continued.

"Uh, I don't know. He didn't get here yet. He should be on his way," answered Xiaoyu.

Julia checked down the corridor, hearing a train.

"Could that be him?"

Everyone waited until the train came into view. It came but showed no signs of stopping, speeding past them in a blur.

"...Guess not," observed Monica.

They sat around on the nearby benches for the redhead for another 10 minutes until one of the trains stopped to let out its passengers. The group watched to see if a flash of red hair would emerge. Another moment later, they saw him stroll off the car and glance around. Monica stood up, waving her hands in the air.

"Hey, Hwoarang! Over here, man!" she shouted.

He noticed her quickly (her dark complexion making her conspicuous) and smiled, ambling towards her.

"What's up, babe?" he greeted when he was close to them. The smile on his face faded a little once he spotted Jin sitting behind her. "Kazama. So...you decided to come, huh?"

Jin nodded, no smile on his face. "Yeah. But I didn't volunteer, only to do Monica a favor."

"I see." His rival turned to the remaining girls. "Hey, Julia...Xiaoyu."

"Hiya, Hwoarang!" exclaimed the Asian girl, waving cheerfully.

Julia nodded, grinning. "How are you?"

"I'm chillin', thanks. Just ready to see 3 lovely ladies in skimpy bathing suits," he quipped.

The girls all giggled.

"OK, now that everybody's here, we can go!" Monica told them excitedly. "When's that train comin', Hwoarang?"

"In a few minutes," he replied, looking at his watch.

"Well, we better get up."

They all stood, gathering their bags and lined up near the edge of the platform.

"Kazama, prepare to get dunked," Hwoarang taunted.

Jin looked over at him and smirked. "We'll see about that, Hwoarang."

Monica scowled, reached across Julia and tapped her red-haired buddy. "Didn't I tell you about that?!"

He put on an apologetic face. "My fault. But, it wasn't like we were actually gonna fight."

"Nah, I'm havin' difficulty believing that one," she replied, giving him a skeptical stare. She nudged in between him and Julia. "I'm gonna have to stick close to you to make sure you don't try anything sneaky."

Hwoarang sighed and beamed. "All right. But I'm not complainin' if you're gonna be by my side most of the day. That's something I want," he responded, curling an arm around her slim waist.

Monica only shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

Jin gazed over at the 2 close friends, wanting to bring the girl back to his side. For some reason, his rival being possessive with his roommate irked him. Hwoarang glanced over at him with a faint smirk. Inside, Jin's annoyance morphed into slight envy.

"Man, I can't wait to get to Yomiuri Land!" Xiaoyu exclaimed, turning Jin's attention from his rival and roommate.

"...Yeah," mumbled Jin. "Me either."

"Oh, wow, look at that slide!" Julia marveled. "We have got to get on that one!"

The rest of the group followed her stare and came across a large water slide that had numerous turns and a long tunnel before emptying into a 10 ft deep pool. People got onto the ride with tubes.

"Yes, that does look fun!" agreed Xiaoyu. "Let's go, let's go!"

Without waiting for anybody, she took off towards the line. Julia and the others followed her.

The crew had been at the water park for virtually 3 hours. They been on many rides since then and were soaked with water. During their rides, Hwoarang would nearly always try to hog Monica by sitting next to her or going down the slides with her. Jin would get very annoyed, although he knew that was the other male's plan. So in return, he would occasionally sit next to her on a ride or 2, when he got the chance. Hwoarang would only smirk when the Japanese accomplished this. It was nothing serious, only something to get on his rival's nerves.

Currently the group slowly made their way to the top of the ride. Julia chose to ride down alone, while Jin quickly snatched up Monica and Hwoarang was paired with Xiaoyu.

The bespectacled girl went first, screaming joyfully as she went swooshing down the lengthy slide. Hwoarang and Xiaoyu went next. The Korean glanced back at them.

"Don't be too scared on the way down," sneered Hwoarang teasingly.

Monica playfully sneered back, "No don't you be all scared!"

He chuckled and winked at her, stared at Jin, then left with the small Xiaoyu to the top of the slide. Jin watched them go with a challenging smirk on his face, as he unconsciously put his arm around his roommate's shoulders. She looked up at him with an uncertain smile.

"Jin?" she asked. "What's goin' on with you 2?"

"Huh? Nothing is going on. Just having fun that's all," he lied.

"OK. You 2, come on," instructed the slide coordinator. "Get your tubes, please."

The roommates grabbed their double tube, stepping up to the top of the slide. Monica gazed down at all the twists and turns....as well as the sheer height. Changing her mind, she got behind Jin.

"This is one scary-lookin' ride," Monica said softly.

They sat down onto the tube, the girl wrapping her arms around Jin snugly and pressing her face against his bare back. The martial artist simpered and chortled.

"It's cool, Monica. Just try not to think of the height," he suggested, not minding her holding onto him.

The slide coordinator kneeled down next to them. "You guys ready to go?" he asked, a tad concerned for the foreigner.

"Yes. She'll be fine, thanks," answered Jin.

"All right then, here we go!" the man warned, pushing the pair down the twisting slide.

The demi-Native American squealed and clung to Jin, this time allowing herself to gaze over his shoulder. Jin hooted merrily, savoring every turn and curl.

"This is great, Monica!" he yelled to her.

"Yeah, it's really exciting!" the girl agreed nervously.

Finally they entered the tunnel before being dropped into the deep pool. Jin was roaring with laughter as Monica shrieked when their tube splashed and skidded over the water. They floated over to the shallow end before climbing off their tube and carrying it out the water.

"Oh, Lord. That was fun and scary too," breathed Monica.

"Yes, it was fun," Jin acceded.

After they placed their tube in the pickup/drop-off area, he glanced down to notice practically half of the American's left breast popping out her bikini top. The man blushed hotly and swiftly brought her close to him to whisper in her ear.

"A-ano...your...breast is kind of out," he told her awkwardly.

The girl looked down and gasped, quickly pushing her bosom entirely inside her bra. Flushing up to her hairline, she glanced around, hoping no one witnessed the act. Jin snickered.

"That's not funny!" Monica rasped at him, sounding mortified.

Pretty soon the others came strolling up to them.

"Wasn't that fun?!" Xiaoyu exclaimed giddily.

"Oh yeah, definitely," answered Monica.

Hwoarang strutted up to her. "Sounded like someone was a little afraid."

She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out. "Shut up."

Julia patted her trim belly. "Sheesh, I'm kinda hungry. I don't know about you guys."

"Right, I'm famished myself," Jin said.

The rest agreed.

"Well, maybe we should take a break and head over to the food court," suggested Hwoarang.

"Yeah, I guess that's the best. Don't wanna end up passing out!" Julia added.

They all trudged through the crowd to the locker rooms for their bags, then the court, which was about halfway across the large park. The lines there weren't that short either. After waiting less than 15 minutes, they reached the counter.

"Welcome to Dogs-N-Buns. How may I help you?" the cashier greeted halfheartedly.

Hwoarang and Monica ordered, after which both cringed at the total price.

"They're kinda expensive here," he commented to Monica, taking out his wallet from the bag.

The brown-skinned girl smirked. "Should I pay for my part of the bill?"

He shot her a glower. "No. I got it."

She laughed at him.

They carried their food to a vacant table, the others finding them after a little difficulty picking them out from the crowd. They ate and talked leisurely, enjoying the scenery. The group finished up the food and decided to wrap up the day with a dip in the wavepool.

The girls had to endure Hwoarang's chasing and consequent dunking for half their stay in the pool before grouping together and throwing him into the water. Jin stood away from them, cackling at the scene. He wasn't feeling too playful to join, especially on a full stomach.

Alas, 1 hour went by before everyone tired of the park and wanted to go home. They changed back into their original clothes after rinsing the chlorine water off in the showers. On the way back on the bus, Monica asked,

"So, Julia you leavin' tomorrow, right?"

She nodded. "Yes. But today was really fun. At least I got some good times in before I leave."

Xiaoyu paid close attention. "What? Aaaww, we didn't even get to know each other that well."

"I know," Julia sulked. "But I promised my grandmother I would be back in the States by tomorrow. She didn't actually want me staying over here this long."

The Chinese teen nodded. "I see. Well at any rate, it's been nice knowing you," she said with a smile.

"Same here, Xiaoyu." Julia turned to Monica. "It's been nice knowing you too, Monica. It was great to talk to someone from the US and that was from a tribe like myself."

Monica grinned warmly. "Sure was. Maybe we can get together someday when I'm back home?"

"Oh, yeah. I'd like that!" She took her cellphone out her purse. "What is your cell number?"

"It's 704-555-4109. I should be back home by late August."

"Solid."

Jin spoke up. "This is the last time I see you, Julia?"

She looked at him. "Um, yeah...unless another tournament comes around. It didn't quite have a true conclusion, with your father disappearing and all. Your grandfather...he is certainly up to something. Please, be careful."

The Mishima nodded gravely. "I intend to. Thanks for your concern."

"Julia, it was a pleasure bein' in your company," Hwoarang complimented. "Hopefully I'll run into you some time."

"Yeah. We'll see what happens, Hwoarang...and likewise!"

To Be Continued...

[a/n: like I said—mostly filler. But it gave you more insight on Monica and Hwoarang's friendship and also some bonding time between all the teens. Kazuya comes back, don't worry lol. Oh yeah, just FYI...the original typed copy of this chapter was lost, and I didn't realize until I looked in the written version that it was supposed to happen BEFORE Monica and Kazuya finally hung out! Oops. But ah well, we still got to take the focus off Kazuya for a lil bit.]


	6. Unexpected Love: Ch. 3D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner & make out...

_2 days later..._

Monica walked into the house, eating some shrimp-fried rice. She went straight to the loveseat and plopped down, kicking her sneakers off. Work was almost a breeze, thankfully.

After she got about halfway through her meal, she glanced over at the answering machine, realizing the flashing red light. Two messages were left. Setting down the carton of food, she reached over and pressed the play button.

"You have...2 new messages," came the automated male voice. "Message 1: 'Monica, hey it's Xiaoyu, I was just calling to let you know that I should be free by 7:00 tonight. Give me a call back if you're able to go to the movies. See yaaa!' Thursday, July 6th, 1:32pm."

Monica smiled, then listened for the next message.

"Message 2: '...Bishoujo. I wish to take you out for dinner tonight at 6:00 sharp. Dress in something...classy. I don't have to leave a name, you should already know who this is. Ja ne.' Thursday, July 6th, 2:16pm. ...End of messages!" * Beep *

The African-American's eyes continued to stare at the machine as if it was alive. That deep, sexy voice belonged to no one else, but...Kazuya. Wow, she didn't think she'd hear from him so soon. What was she going to wear to dinner? She was so nervous and excited, she nearly forgot about Xiaoyu! The girl sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She didn't want to leave Xiaoyu behind, but it was such a privilege for Kazuya to take her out!

She called Xiaoyu anyway to let her know she wouldn't be able to make it. She figured it would be better to tell her she was leaving than not say anything.

The phone rang 4 times...no one answered. Xiaoyu must have left with her folks. An answering service picked up, one of Xiaoyu's relatives talking in Chinese. After the tone, Monica informed her about the change of plans and hung up. She will surely make it up to the girl another day. Right now her mind was focused on this evening, the dinner with the Mishima. It's been a week that passed and he was already summoning her again.

For once, she felt important.

*

[a/n: just to be clear, ignore the body, it's the dress, accessories and shoes that are relevant lol. She isn't a skinny gal ;)]

Monica spun around, looking herself over in the mirror. After she was satisfied, she grabbed her silver, metallic clutch before taking a breath and went downstairs to the living room.

Jin was not home from work yet, which was a good thing or else he would probably bombard her with hundreds of questions and demand to meet her date—which happened to be his own father. The 2 would probably end up in a big argument. And she did not need that!

As the minutes ticked closer and closer to 6:00, the girl began to get the jitters, twiddling her thumbs, biting her bottom lip and occasionally twirl her long hair. Sooner than expected, the clock chimed 6 times to bring in the new hour. Monica jumped at the sound, inwardly berating herself for not being used to the clock yet.

Several seconds later, the phone rang. Her heart racing, the American gingerly picked it up.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded very unconfident.

"Bishoujo, I'm waiting outside. I assume you're ready?" came Kazuya's rough, deep voice.

"Uh, yes. I'm ready."

"Very well then..." He hung up as usual without any goodbyes.

She dropped the phone onto the receiver and took deep, relaxing breaths to calm her nerves. This will be the 3rd time she will be with him. Why wasn't she used to it yet? Somewhat frustrated with herself, she opened the door and stepped out. Sure enough, there was the black limo waiting for her. She turned around, reaching in her purse for the key and locked the door.

As she walked down the steps, she saw Anikki get out the car and post himself next to the passenger door. Her heels clicked every time she stepped toward the shiny, ebony limo. The chauffeur smiled and bowed his head to greet her, the girl nodding in return. He then opened the car door to let her climb in. After she was inside, he shut the door and returned to the driver seat.

A couple people who were on their porches stared at the departing limo, wondering who was in the passenger seat with their new neighbor.

Kazuya's dark eyes traveled over the girl's body, appreciating her attire. The dress emphasized her bosom and trim waist, and showed off a little leg. Her shoes allowed him to see her relatively small feet and polished toes. The girl knew how to coordinate, he gave her that.

He wore a black suit, with satin trim, black sleek shoes, and a crisp white button-up with a striped black tie. The teenager loved the way he appeared in suits and slacks, but it would be interesting to see him dress casually for once. When their eyes happened to meet, she smiled timidly and looked away. Not one to back down, Kazuya remained gazing at her.

"You look ravishing tonight, Bishoujo," he suddenly complimented.

The young woman looked at him out the corner of her eye. "You look very handsome yourself, Mr. Mishima."

Her ears picked up his scoff.

"Thanks. You know...you don't have to call me 'Mr. Mishima' in private, just as I don't call you 'Ms. Monica,' he quipped. "We are past the formal stage now."

She turned to face him. "So...you mean we're friends?"

Kazuya thought it over. "Yes, you can say that." He studied her hair. "I see you changed your hairstyle. I like it," he remarked.

[a/n: It's about the hair, not the face lol]

Monica smiled. "Thanks again." She returned her eyes to the window, noticing they were in a different part of town. "Where we goin' tonight?"

"To an upscale restaurant by the name of The New York Grill [a/n: actually it's in a hotel, but in this story it's an actual restaurant building] You will certainly like it there. Not only is the food excellent, but they serve many American dishes."

She nodded, slightly flattered he considered her tastes. "Sounds good to me."

The Japanese man noted how tense she was and smirked. It was uncanny how her and Jun behaved alike [a/n: get used to him talkin' about Jun]...in many situations.

"Bishoujo, are you afraid of me?"

Monica's head spun in his direction, a look of surprise in her amber-like eyes. "No...I ain't scared. Just not used to being in your company." She narrowed her eyes at his question. "Why did you ask me that?"

Kazuya leaned closer. "I realized how stiff you are and the fact that you can't stare me in the eyes after a few seconds."

His penetrating eyes bore into hers.

As expected, her eyes wavered and shifted to the floor. She let out an uneasy giggle. She couldn't look him in the eyes long because they were cold at the moment, and she didn't like that. There was also something in them that made her uncomfortable. An almost...evil glint under the surface. This was conspicuous only when his eyes were cold.

"I just ain't get used to you yet," she bluffed

He smirked again, then let his eyes focus on her lips. He felt the urge to kiss her, but held back for the moment. "You shouldn't be restless around me. I know I defeated many opponents and some other things, but I wouldn't try to hurt you. I take no pride in hurting women." He placed a finger under her chin, turning her head to face him. "I didn't hurt you that night, did I?" the martial artist asked intently with an edge of seduction.

Monica allowed herself to look into his eyes, pleasantly rewarded with a small amount of concern and...lust? This time her eyes remained on his. "No. You...didn't hurt me, Kazuya. That night...was incredible." Her face grew hot thinking about it.

Kazuya's orbs threatened to hypnotize her as they did the day she stayed over his house. She watched, powerless to resist him as he bent and gave her a dominating kiss. Her arms felt limp as they lay in her lap, yet her hands involuntarily clenched. She felt like puddy in his arms.

After what felt like an eternity, but was only a couple moments, the Mishima pulled away. Monica's eyes fluttered open, hazy from the sensuous kiss

"I'm glad you liked it," he murmured, eyes still entrancing her. He finally let go of her and smirked, his eyes no longer having that pull.

The American only remained blushing before looking out the window. Her mind strayed on that night he slept with her. During the 1st half, he generally was gentle having been told that it had been nearly a year since she had been intimate with her former boyfriend, and when he got aggressive she would see little blue sparks travel over his torso and arms. At first they astounded her, but she quickly got used to them, remembering their appearance at the tournament Jin took her to. She surmised it had something to do with him using his energy. Yet besides this phenomenon, she faintly recalled that if she raked her nails over a certain area on his muscular chest he would croon in euphoria. Perhaps she should ask him about that another time.

* *

Kazuya stepped out the black limo, warily surveyed his surroundings and assisted Monica out the seat. 4 bodyguards exited a navy blue SUV behind their limo and surrounded the pair. After one of the men talked with the ballot attendants, the group headed to the restaurant entrance.

The scarred male looked over at his shorter date.

"Let's go. Stay by my side just in case anyone thinks to try something funny," he ordered.

The African girl nodded and strolled beside him to the fancy restaurant, 2 of the remaining bodyguards closing the rear. As they walked up to the building, some strollers stared at them, disbelieving what they saw. Kazuya—the cold and conceited son of Heihachi—was actually with an American? They did not expect him to be with anybody, let alone some dark-skinned foreigner.

The citizens would mumble comments about him and his American date, the majority being positive.

When they entered the establishment, a host greeted them, bowing in respect to the infamous Kazuya. The Mishima nodded his head to acknowledge this host.

"Good evening, Mr. Mishima. What an honor it is to have you eating with us tonight, as usual," the host welcomed in Japanese.

The karate fighter smiled faintly. "Thanks. Do you have my reservations?" he asked, adjusting his tie.

An air of vanity hovered around him. Monica noticed and couldn't help feeling a tad annoyed.

The host searched through the thin reservations folder for his name. "Yes, sir. Just a moment..." He glanced around and spotted an unoccupied waiter. "Kaito, could you please escort Mr. Mishima and his party to their tables, please?"

Kaito, a rather youthful-looking employee, snapped to attention and briskly strode over to the martial artist and his date after grabbing a few menus.

"Good evening, Mr. Mishima. Please, follow me," the young waiter instructed nervously.

He led them to a secluded area near a window that was nicely decorated. Along the way, the upper-class dining citizens would look up and gaze at the group, eyes paying particular attention to Kazuya. Several were more interested in the caramel-complexioned young American. Of course, Kazuya paid no heed to the increasing hush or stares of the crowd. Monica however, became uneasy, disliking to be the center of attention.

Once they reached their tables, the waiter sat all of them down and handed each a menu.

"Someone will be with you shortly to take your order. I hope you 2 have an enjoyable and relaxing dinner."

He bowed and departed.

The guards at the adjacent table surveyed their surroundings with wariness. Once seeing that no one was nearby, they picked up their menus.

The pair scanned through their menus to determine what meal they would eat. Fortunately, the menus were in both English and Japanese so Monica had no trouble reading it.

Her eyes landed on the NY Grill Salmon Platter: grilled lemon-garlic glazed sockeye salmon served with brown rice & gravy, steamed mixed vegetables and Caesar Salad. Her mouth began to water thinking about it. She ventured a peak at the price of dinner... 17,000 yen! Looks like Kazuya didn't mind the price. The thought of ordering a margarita flashed into her mind, but instead she chose a strawberry lemonade. When looking up to check on her date, he was already gazing at her. A smirk was on his deceptively youthful face.

"Did you find a dish of your liking?" he questioned.

Monica nodded. "Yeah. They have a good selection here. I wish I found out about this place earlier."

"Of course they do," he said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs in male fashion. "I would not have even bothered with this place. I want nothing but the best..." He switched his attention over to the 4 guards, hearing them guffaw about a joke one of them cracked. The man frowned. "They honestly are a bunch of fools," he muttered in irritation. "Damatte kudasai!"

The men looked at him and quieted down. Monica glanced back and forth between Kazuya and the group.

"What did you tell 'em?" she wondered.

The martial artist turned towards her. "I told them to please shut up."

"Couldn't you have been a little nicer?"

He grunted. "We are in an upscale restaurant. One cannot be rowdy and rude in such places."

The girl only shook her head at him. Just then a waitress came ambling over to their table. A tray of glasses of water balanced on her hand. She bowed her head and smiled warmly.

"Hello, Mr. Mishima. You and your date ready to place your orders?" she asked in Japanese, setting the tray down to hand them a glass.

"Yes, we are. I'll have the Sushi Roll Platter and Seafood Special Soup. My drink will be the Silver Oak."

The thin woman jotted down his order then looked at Monica. "What will you be having, ma'am?"

"Uh, I want the NY Grill Salmon Platter and a strawberry lemonade."

"OK..." she said, writing down the order. "I'll be back with your drinks in a few minutes."

Once they acknowledged her statement, she picked up their menus before moving to the adjacent table to see what the guards wanted and drop off their water.

"I should have tried an American meal. It's been awhile since I had," Kazuya mentioned.

"Oh? You don't like our food?" The adolescent interrogated teasingly.

He gave her a small smile. "No, it isn't that. I'm just not used to it."

"Aight. You get off the hook this time," she quipped.

The male leaned forward and grinned. His canines appeared slightly fanged. He reminded her of a wolf. "Why thank you, Ms. Monica."

Her eyes studied his chiseled face and soon discovered a narrow scar that was segmented by the bridge of his nose. Her youthful curiosity got the best of her. "Uh...I'm sorry, but what happened to your face?"

He seemed perplexed. "Nani? What are you talking about?"

"There's a scar over your nose."

Kazuya rolled his eyes. "Onna, you're just now realizing that? You're late," he said as if it was ridiculous. "I got it and some others after a battle with my father. They're practically all over." A frown made its way to his sensuous lips. "I don't like how they mar my body, but it displays how much of a warrior I am."

Monica's delicate eyebrows rose, somewhat impressed. "A warrior, huh? I really admire that in a guy. There's nothin' like a brawler."

His brow furrowed. "...Brawler? That is what you Americans call people like me?"

She giggled. "Uh...yeah. At least that's the slang term anyway."

His muscled shoulders jerked in a shrug. "Oh, I see." His eyes remained fixed on her. "Did you have a lot of conflict in your life?"

"Nah. My life's been pretty smooth. I did get into a few fights when I was younger and my mom and dad are separated though."

He nodded, getting interested. "Sorry to hear about your parents separating. Are they on the verge of a divorce?"

She thought it over. "...I'm not sure right now."

For a few moments he was quiet, still studying her. [a/n: oh man, I would have to keep my eyes busy so that I wouldn't have to look at him while he's staring at me!] There was something about her that has been bugging him. He decided to ask about it. "This might seem like an unexpected question, but what race are your parents? You look...like you're of a mixed heritage."

She smiled bashfully. "My mom is African and my dad is Native American."

Kazuya's eyes lit up. So that was it! "Ah. I've noticed there was something different about you. Your hair is one of the giveaways, as well as your unusual eyes...the shape and color of them, I mean."

"Yeah, a lot of people ain't sure what I am. I don't mind, I'm proud of my heritage."

"That's a good thing. I myself am proud to be Japanese."

She covered her mouth a little to pretend she was yawning. "I can tell!" she mumbled.

Kazuya's eyes narrowed. "What was that? I be--"

He was cut off by his cell phone ringing. Quickly he reached into his inner jacket pocket and retrieved it.

"Moshi-moshi?"

Monica observed his visage become a little surprised and then very interested. He began talking in his language, curiosity being heard in the emotion his words resounded. He stopped to let the caller answer his inquiries. A sly smile crept onto his lips. His orbs, now turning cold, landed on her. She nearly flinched back.

"Sumimasen..." he excused to the caller. "Ms. Monica, I have an important phone call to take care of. I will be back in a few minutes."

She nodded, avoiding eye contact and instead focused on his mouth. She didn't feel like seeing that evil-like reflection underneath his cold stare.

Kazuya looked at his guards. "2 of you stay here, the others come with me."

Two guards chose to follow him, while the others stayed behind to watch over Monica. Kazuya resumed talking on his phone, lowering his voice as he left the restaurant. The girl hoped he just wasn't going to jump in a car and leave her there. But since he told her he'd be back in a few minutes, maybe he was just going outside to keep people from eavesdropping.

Sighing, she propped her head onto her hand and stared out a nearby window. At that moment, the waitress returned with her lemonade and her date's drink.

"Hi. Here's your drinks. You wanted the strawberry lemonade, right?" she confirmed.

Monica nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

The waitress gave her the lemonade and set the wine on the karate fighter's side of the table.

"Your food will be coming out in 15 more minutes or so. We apologize for the wait...it's been a busy night!"

"Oh, that's fine."

"There anything else I can get you?"

"Um, yeah. Go get Mr. Mishima out there for me."

At first the woman thought she was serious, but then the joke sank in. She giggled as did Monica.

"Don't worry, he'll be back, I'm sure. He wouldn't abandon a pretty girl like yourself."

The American smiled weakly. "Thanks."

The employee grinned and nodded before trotting away.

Monica sat listening to the soft music flowing throughout the restaurant, her mind beginning to drift. She vaguely noted how although the bodyguards would glance at her once in a while, they seemed hesitant to say anything. Knowing the martial artist, he probably gave them strict instructions not to initiate conversation with her. After a good 5 minutes or more, she faintly heard a deep masculine voice repeating her name, agitation growing in the tone. The young woman broke out her thoughts and discovered Kazuya waving his hand in front of her face.

She blinked and leaned back.

"Oh...my fault. My mind was somewhere else," the teen apologized sheepishly.

The tall Japanese shook his head then sat down in his chair. "I can see that," he quipped with a smirk. "Did I take too long out there?"

"It felt like it."

His eyebrows quirked at her reply. "Well, I'll try to make the conversations shorter when I'm with you. But like I said, it was an essential call."

Monica nodded and flicked her onyx hair off her shoulder. Automatically, the man's piercing eyes swept over the exposed skin and came across an unusual, faded blemish where her neck and shoulder met. He scrutinized it and discerned what it was. A smug smile grew on his face.

"Did I do that?"

His date eyed him funny. "Uh, did what?"

The male reached over and brushed his rough fingers over her shoulder. The teenager quivered at the ticklish touch.

"That..." he pointed out in a low voice.

Monica's face flushed. "Oh. Eh...yeah." Thankfully, no one made a comment on the mark other than Jin. She did notice how Hwoarang had kept shooting looks at it once he noticed, however whatever he wanted to ask he kept to himself.

Kazuya hummed, thinking about that night again. "Watashi wa anata no hada no aji ga sukidesu." he commented, purposefully switching to Japanese so she wouldn't understand him. "Watashi wa hantaisoku no betsu no anata o ataeru ki ni shimasen."

Monica stared at him uncertainly. "What're you sayin' Mr. Mishima? That was an earful." She let a small smile form on her lips. "I like that native talk though."

His eyes have since abandoned their usual stoic appearance and were more vivacious, intense even. "Oh not much. Let's just say it was a compliment."

He smirked before picking up his wine glass and taking a sip from it.

The girl grunted, not quite satisfied with his answer. Soon the waitress came back to their table with a cart of platters.

"All right, you 2. Dinner is served. Again, we apologize for the wait..." She sat their plates down in front of them, steam floating from the hot contents.

Kazuya frowned at the waitress. "That's OK, for tonight. However, if you want me to continue to be a regular customer, I suggest improving the timing of your service by hiring more workers," he told her in their mother tongue.

The female bowed her head. "Yes, sir." She straightened up and asked, "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

He shook his head and waved her away. "No. That will be all."

Looking a tad upset, the waitress bowed before going to the adjacent table to serve the guards their plates. Monica scowled at Kazuya. She didn't know what he said to the waitress, but his tone was very stern.

He looked up at her and noticed her glare. "Nani?"

* *

Kazuya's midnight limo crept along the sidewalk in front of Monica's home and stopped. Anikki hopped out the car and opened the passenger door. Kazuya got out first and being the gentleman that he was, assisted Monica out the car.

"Well, Mr. Mishima, it was a very nice dinner...thank you. You sure have a lot of class!" the young woman remarked, staring down at her shoes.

"Thank you, Bishoujo. You forgot I'm a Mishima, ne?" he teased.

Monica's eyes drifted up to his. "Yeah, I guess so." A grin separated her lips. "Um, looks like this is it for tonight...I'll see you around."

The martial artist leaned against the car, thrusting his hands casually into his pockets.

"Have a good night."

She nodded, noticing how his eyes took on a different look as they observed her intently. Quickly, the American pivoted on her heels and strolled up the steps; for some reason him staring at her like that made her nervous and bashful. Nevertheless, her feet slowed down and she looked back to see if he was getting in the car. Surprisingly, he was still watching her in the same spot. An expecting expression was glued to his countenance. She turned her head around and continued walking, again feeling an invisible force tug at her feet. The girl managed to make it to the porch before struggling not to stop, failing miserably. Monica glanced back at him to find him staring, the same expression on his face [a/n: i'm just picturing the poor chauffeur standing there looking back & forth between the 2 in confusion lol].

What was it about this man that seemed to draw her back to him? This time she vowed not to turn around again. At this rate, she would never make it back inside the house.

Now she was on the porch in front of the door. Just as her hand raised to grasp the knob, that impossible to ignore pull returned and compelled her to whirl around. Oh, he was there all right. This time the pull was so strong, she found her feet moving ahead sluggishly. After she got off the porch she broke into a jog. All she wanted was to be in his arms. Her high heels made clicking noises as she loped up to Kazuya, who took his hands out his pockets to embrace her.

The moment the female was in his arms, he began kissing her fervently. Immediately, she did the same, grabbing his hair as he pressed her against him. He broke it off briefly to tell Anikki:

"Get in the car. I'll let you know when I'm ready to go."

The chauffeur nodded, feeling flustered and did as told. The 2 resumed kissing for another minute until Monica finally pulled away. Her fingers were still clinging onto his jacket as she panted and gazed heatedly into his eyes. Kazuya was breathing hard, holding her face in his hands, his own bottomless eyes cloudy with want.

"I...I have to go," she mumbled.

"Come with me to my house. You're a grown woman, you have no curfew," persuaded the man huskily.

"Nah, I gotta--"

She was silenced by Kazuya restarting the kiss. It was a dominating yet mesmerizing kiss, Monica almost tempted to change her mind. After nearly giving in, she again ceased their kissing. She shook her head slowly.

"...No. I can't, I'm sorry. I gotta get up early tomorrow for work. Besides, I'd feel kinda bad for stayin' at your place without letting Jin know. He...tends to worry about me ever since that mugger."

Kazuya frowned, glancing at the dark house. Only the TV light faintly glowed through the bottom window. He turned back to her.

"My son will be fine. He's been living by himself for some time." He sucked on her bottom lip momentarily. "Get in the car."

The demi-Native American was allured, yet stood her ground. "No... I-I gotta go."

Kazuya was very disappointed, but annoyed at her stubbornness. Inside himself, he heard Devil's angry growl followed by a curse.

He shifted his hands down to her hips, spun her so that her back faced the limo, before pushing her firmly against it. His ears picked up on the little squeak of surprise she emitted at the sudden movements, then he lowered his hot mouth between her left shoulder and neck to give her another hickie. She gasped at the pleasurable feeling.

"Kazuya!" Monica shrieked lowly, attempting to escape his hold.

Unfortunately, he tightened his restraint on her. His strength was one that much of the world knew about, so her comparatively weak struggling was no match. She gave up and squeezed her eyes shut as he continued to relentlessly suck on her shoulder. Gradually his attention was beginning to excite her, though she fought the sensations.

Alas, he stopped to release her, #1 because he figured that was enough teasing and #2, the taste of her and the noises she made were starting to affect him.

He glanced at the work he did as he gave her some space, and smirked. This passion mark wasn't as large as the other, but it was just as impressive.

"All right, now you can go. Sweet dreams," Kazuya rasped after sensually running his tongue over his lip.

Monica stood staring at him, once again having a difficult time decided whether to fall back into his arms, or retreat into the house with Jin. With a great deal of effort, she made her feet carry her toward her home.

"Good night," she uttered in a trance-like voice.

Kazuya watched the long-haired teen amble up the steps, sensing the demon pulling at the reigns to force his body to scoop her into his arms and get back into the vehicle. It was tough to resist, but he really didn't want to deal with her wrath and get on her bad side. So instead he mentally subdued the prurient demon and climbed back into the limo by himself.

Once Monica heard the car pull off, she spun around, relieved that he wouldn't tempt her to return to him. She unlocked the door, shut it behind her and secured it. An awkward sigh leaked from her lips. What an interesting night it had been. Great, how could she have a good night's sleep feeling like this?

Abruptly, her roommate's smooth anxious voice rang in her ears.

"Monica?"

She rubbed her forehead and walked into the living room so he could see her. She could faintly hear an intake of breath from him as he sat gazing at her.

"Wow. Somebody went on a special date, huh?" he questioned, eyes studying her appreciatively. Once he noticed her looking at him, he put on a small smile. "Sorry, you look really nice."

She smiled wearily. "Thanks. And yeah, it was special. We went to this restaurant called the NY Grill. It was the bomb—or should I say—fantastic!" She dropped onto the loveseat, letting her purse fall to the floor with a light thud.

Jin's eyebrows rose with keen interest. "Oh, cool. I heard about that place. It's one of the top restaurants in Tokyo." 'And who was your date, because I'm starting to doubt Hwoarang would want to spend so much at a restaurant like that,' he added in thought.

"I see why! It's really beautiful in that place and the food is very good." She leaned over to take her shoes off. "How was work? Busy?"

He shook his head. "No, it wasn't bad at all. Nice turnouts but nothing worth stressing over."

The girl nodded then wiggled her toes once her shoes were off her feet. "Phew, that's better. After awhile, high heels make my feet hurt."

"I bet..." Jin commented, looking the stylish shoes over.

* * *

Monica awoke in the middle of the night after hearing what sounded like weeping. She rubbed her eyes and slid out of bed to investigate, putting her feet into her comfortable fuzzy slippers. The girl stopped in the hallway and listened carefully to the sounds. It was definitely someone sobbing, yet whoever it was, was somewhere outside the house.

She peered into Jin's room to wake him, but he wasn't in. where was he at this time of the night? Did he end up going for a walk or to some club?

Scratching her head, she continued down the stairs and into the living room. Everything was dark, so she had to rely on the moon's light shining through the windows.

Again, she stopped in her tracks to relocate the source of crying. It appeared to be coming from the backyard. Who thought they could just trespass on her property? Regardless of how sad they were, they had no right to come into the backyard!

Cautiously, she made her way to the back porch. Now the intruder sounded very close by. She chose to remove her noisy slippers and slunk up to the back door. She could use Jin's help right about now, but she wasn't going to let this person scare her.

The American peered through the screen into the night for a person's figure. The half moon aided her by lighting up much of the porch and small yard. Unexpectedly, her eyes came across a masculine form sitting down in one of the 2 chairs. His head was bowed and he was holding himself as his sturdy body trembled. She could pick up on him mumbling something in Japanese every so often as he cried. For a moment, she couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him, yet she had to usher him off her and Jin's property.

Before she stepped out the door, she studied his hair. It was spiked up in the back and long bangs hung over his shadowed face. It was...it was Jin!

Monica's amber eyes widened in shock. What was Jin crying for?! She unconsciously dropped her slippers. They landed with a soft thump on the wooden floor. At the small resonance, Jin ceased crying, wiped his eyes and stood in full alert.

"Who's there?!" he called in Japanese.

When he received no response, he began walking near the door.

"Come out and face me!"

The teen came to her senses with a start, butterflies fluttering in her belly. Hurriedly, she snatched up her slippers and bolted away from the door, running on the balls of her feet. She hardly made any noise luckily as she dashed through the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom. When she made it to the safety of her room, she threw her slippers onto the carpeted floor and sprang onto the bed, pulling the covers over herself quickly. She closed her eyes and feigned sleep.

Her heart rate began to climb steadily as she listened to the screen door shut and Jin's footfalls enter the kitchen. They then paused in the living room before finally ascending the stairs.

Jin trudged warily to his room and peered inside briefly, before going to Monica's. He hoped whoever was in the house didn't harm her. He wouldn't mind beating the trespasser into a coma. Right now, he was unstable and aggressive. The devil gene in his blood had been stirred again, mainly from thinking of his terrible past and his heritage. Another reason was his roommate.

There were 2 reasons why she was a cause: his jealousy of who Monica was being with at night and her indifference to leaving him behind. Besides that, his mother's wrongful death, his grandfather's betrayal, and the very gene itself were on his mind. The gene fed off any hatred/anger. If these emotions were strong enough, the gene could cause him to transform. He barely managed to control it tonight.

Presently, he gazed into Monica's bedroom, seeing nothing out of place. In fact, she was still asleep. He narrowed his eyes. Did he hear things in his head? Was it a noise that came from a next door neighbor? He wasn't sure, but he felt a bit foolish and paranoid.

His eyes remained on Monica's sleeping form. Shortly, the dark thoughts popped into his mind. He had to get out of there while so many dark feelings were coursing through him. He probably wouldn't be able to fend them off anymore. With 1 last stare, he strolled out the room, clenching his hands from his internal turbulence.

Meanwhile, Monica breathed a sigh of relief as she listened to Jin descending the steps. It sure took him a long time to leave her room! Maybe he thought it was her after all. He didn't sound too happy about somebody seeing him cry either. She let her body relax and soon drifted back to sleep.

Little did she know, if she had dared to open her eyes while Jin was in the room, she would have seen them gleaming a bright red...

4 days later...

Monica, sweetheart, where ya been hidin' at? I missed seeing you," Hwoarang's confident voice sounded over the phone.

Aforementioned woman grinned, joyful to hear her Korean friend's voice.

"Yo, Hwoarang! I missed seein' your red hair! How you been?"

"I've been pretty good. Y'know, I've been tryin' to get in contact with you for the past 3 days, your a** is never home!"

"I know. I've been working...and I got your message."

"Well, you could've called me back."

Monica rolled her eyes. "I did call you back, but you wasn't in your room. But anyway, what's been goin' on with you lately?"

"Oh, right. I meant to tell you that I finally found a place to rent. Ain't that awesome?"

"Really?! That's good news! Is it an apartment or house?"

"Apartment. It's nice though, plus it's already furnished."

"Cool. You sharin' it with somebody or not?" the girl probed.

"Nope! I'm all alone, thank God. I told you I ain't want a roommate. You can't trust 'em!"

She giggled. "Well usually roommates are trustworthy enough to at least refrain from stealin' your stuff. Jin is like the perfect roommate."

Hwoarang scoffed. "Yeah, yeah...sure. Watch him end up doin' something real sneaky."

"Ha, whatever. I know how Jin is for the most part."

"OK. But check this out: I'm goin' to this club tonight, you interested?" he asked hopefully.

"Hmm. Yeah, I can do that. What time you trying to meet?"

"Like 'round 9:30. So, I suggest you start lookin' for an outfit soon. I don't feel like waiting a whole extra hour for you to be ready!"

She chortled at his joke. "Oh, I don't take that much time to get dressed! Give me a break!"

He laughed softly. "All right. Well, I'll see you later on at the usual meeting spot."

"OK then. Later!"

They hung up.

Xiaoyu looked up at her from her relaxed position on the sofa.

"I'm guessing that was Hwoarang, right?" she joked with a smirk.

Monica nodded and smiled.

"Yep. Finally get to see him again. Ain't that a miracle?"

"Sure is. He's been missing in action for months!" Xiaoyu exaggerated. "What did old 'redhead' say?"

"He told me he was tryin' to go to this club tonight and wanted me to go with him."

The Chinese's dark eyebrow rose. "Oh, that's gonna be fun. What club is it?"

"I dunno. He didn't tell me. But anyhow, we supposed to be meeting up by 9:30."

The pig-tailed female nodded.

"You know what? I'm thinking you and Mr. Hwoarang should get together."

Monica's scowl went unnoticed.

"I mean he is just so into you. Remember how he was acting with you at the water park? Goodness, he was hogging you nearly the entire day."

Her dark-skinned friend sat in the love seat.

"Well, yeah. But I must've forgot to tell ya about the day he asked me to be his girlfriend."

Xiaoyu's childish eyes bugged out of her head as she sat bolt upright.

"What?!" she burst. "When did all this happen?"

The American laughed at her shock and eagerness.

"This happened about 2 weeks ago, I think."

Xiaoyu leaned forward with curiosity. "Ooh...so what did you say when he asked?"

Monica looked away as if guilty.

"I told him I wasn't romantically interested in him. I only liked him as a...friend."

Her younger friend's hand flew to her mouth.

"Aaaw!" she cooed. She felt sympathetic for Hwoarang. "What did he say to you after that?"

Monica faced her. "He looked hurt but said he understood and will wait for me in case I changed my mind. He kissed my hand too," she answered.

Xiaoyu smiled sweetly. "Oh, that was so cute. I guess Hwoarang isn't so bad after all." She tapped her chin in thought. "Say...do you think there's a chance you'll date him—and I mean romantically—in the future?"

The elder girl pondered over the possibility.

"I say it's a slim chance right now."

"Oh, all right." Xiaoyu tilted her head to the side. "What's been going on with Jin?"

The American sighed. "He's been a workaholic and still takes the time to train when he feels like it. But..." she said slowly, leaning back in her seat. "I overheard him cryin' a few nights back. He was on the back porch. I dropped my slippers accidentally and he heard it. Then, I ran back upstairs so he wouldn't know it was me spying on him."

Her Asian friend seemed concerned. "Oh yeah? Hmm, I wonder what got to him. Hope he's OK now."

"Oh, he is. I still didn't tell him it was me though." She ran her hand over her black tresses. "Speakin' of Jin, how did you 2 meet?"

"...I used to be a ward of the Mishima Zaibatsu for a few years. That's how Jin and I came across each other. Eventually, we ended up being friends." She frowned slightly. "But after that incident between him and his grandfather, I never really got to talk to him again." The young woman peered up at her Native American friend, her face growing pink. "...I...had a major crush on him while I was a ward. A-and I still hold some feelings for him."

Monica grinned.

"What? Get out! Why ain't you let him know how you really feel?"

Xiaoyu stared down at her feet and heaved a sigh.

"Well, from how he behaved towards me, he didn't seem to like me as a potential girlfriend. And besides that...sometimes he seemed annoyed at me when I wanted to bring him along with me to see my friend, Panda."

"Panda?"

"She's actually a panda. She used to be one of the captured animals that fought in the tournament before last."

"Ooh, I see. That's pretty cool." Monica decided to change the subject. "So um, what you wanna do for our 'make-up' date?"

The shorter girl looked up at her.

"Right! Maybe we could do the same thing we were supposed to do. I think I know what movie to see this time."

"Great, that'll save us some time. Do you remember what time it starts?"

"Yes. At 5:30. So..." She checked her watch. "That gives us almost an hour and a half to get to the theater."

"Well, OK. While we have a good amount of time, I should go get my outfit out for tonight."

"Good idea! Let me help you out!" gushed Xiaoyu, standing up.

Monica sighed inwardly, letting her new friend lead her upstairs. She just knew Xiaoyu was going to pick out an enticing outfit for her.

* * * *

[Subway...]

Hwoarang blew a low whistle once he spotted Monica approaching him. His dark brown eyes roamed her shapely body in admiration. What really took him out was the fact that she actually wore a little make up.

"Hey, Hwoarang! What's up?!" she greeted as she narrowed the gap between them.

Her voice was normal, but her behavior indicated she was a bit uncomfortable.

"Yo, babe! You're lookin' good enough to eat tonight! Hot d***!" complimented Hwoarang, eyes wide.

Monica blushed deeply, grinned and pushed him playfully.

"Stop man, you're gonna put me on the spot," she told him coyly. "You can thank Xiaoyu for talkin' me into wearing this revealing outfit. I usually would dress more casual."

The Korean clasped his hands together in a pleading manner and groaned.

"Hell yeah, I thank her from the bottom of my heart!"

She giggled, then scanned her friend from head to toe.

"Y'know, you look good too," she remarked.

Hwoarang beamed. "Thanks, babe. I try my best!"

"So what club we goin' to?"

The redhead sent daggers with his eyes at a couple of natives that were checking Monica out. When they noticed his glower, they casually turned another direction. He snorted, then faced his friend.

"Sorry. Um, we're going to Club Mix. How long you feel like being out tonight?"

The American tried to find out who he had been glaring at, but couldn't tell.

"Oh, no later than 2."

"Good. I thought you were gonna say somethin' like 12."

"Nah, you know by now that 12 is early in Tokyo."

Hwoarang nodded in agreement. "Right." He checked to see if their train was coming and it was. "Well, here's our ride. You ready to party?"

The long-haired girl looked at him and smirked. "Yeah!"

To Be Continued...


	7. Unexpected Love: Ch. 3E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goin' out, snacks & heartbreak (longest chapter section!)...

[**DISCLAIMER**: I do NOT own Tekken or its characters, I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment only! No money is gained.]

[a/n: as you can see, Xiaoyu was still trying to hook up Monica with Hwoarang with this number! Thank God for spankies lol. Also the dress is short-sleeved]

_[Club Mix...]_

Hwoarang pulled Monica through the crowd to the bar and sat down. He glanced around at the huge, jam-packed room, grinning at the turnout.

"Oh this is the best club yet!" he exclaimed.

Monica scanned the mass of people. "Yeah, it's great! I wouldn't mind coming back here sometime," she told him over the R&B music.

They stopped gazing around to find out what they wanted to order to drink.

"What you thinkin' about ordering?" asked the red haired man.

"...I guess a Margarita. What're you gonna have?"

Hwoarang made a face as he thought about it.

"Err...Tequilla Sunrise!" He eyed her slyly. "And methinks you'll be havin' one too!"

Monica's eyes widened. "Wh-what?! Uh-uh--"

"Excuse me! Bartender!" Hwoarang called, clapping his hands.

A tousled haired foreigner came strolling over to them.

"Uh, yes? How can I help you?"

"Me and my lovely friend here will have a Tequilla Sunrise, please," he informed, putting an arm around the dark-skinned female, who glowered at him.

The foreigner nodded. "You got it!"

Monica shrugged his arm off.

"Yo, I don't recall sayin' I wanted a Tequilla Sunrise, Hwoarang!"

He rolled his eyes and sighed throwing his hands up.

"Whoa, wait a minute. Time out!" He leaned toward her with a smug expression. "Didn't you say you were ready to party? A f*****' Margarita ain't gonna do the trick, babe!"

"But, still--"

She was cut off once again by the Korean pecking her on the lips.

"Live a little!" he commanded playfully.

The girl only sat flushed and blinking at him, stunned that he indeed kissed her.

3 glasses later, they found themselves on the dance floor with the crowd. Hwoarang was grinning for no apparent reason and Monica's balance was not as good as it was earlier. She held onto the Korean to steady herself.

"Are you OK?" he questioned, placing his hands on her lower back.

She nodded, glancing at a few people nearby.

"I should be aight," she replied sheepishly. "Remind me to kill you after this!"

He chortled. "Yes ma'am!"

The Asian male tilted his head slightly to listen to the next track starting up. Another Reggae song blared over the speakers. As if automatic, his body started moving with the beat. Monica soon picked up on the rhythm herself and got into dancing. They became caught up in the sensuous beat, not caring how they danced.

They danced in a freaky manner much of the time, unless a fast song was played. It became a tad warm in the club after all their dancing, so they took a 15 minute break. The 2 were so hyped up they were talking the entire time during their rest, until Monica reminded him to go back on the dance floor.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, a small clique of young men sat watching the 2. They were impressed at how the couple danced together, and even more intrigued at how the female gaijin moved. After talking among themselves, one of the natives said,

"Oh, I'm not sure if I should go over there."

His elder friend smirked then nudged him with an elbow.

"Cmon on, man. You may never get this opportunity again..."

The previous male looked over at him, his uncertainty ebbing away a bit.

"I'll think about it then!" he grumbled in mild frustration.

The 3rd member of their group got irritated at his buddy's hesitation. He stood out his chair, pushing the shorter man out his way. What a pansy! He himself was probably the one that wanted to go ask the redhead man for the privilege to dance the most out of the crew. What he wanted, he would get! A dance was no exception.

His rugged features twisted with a condescending scowl as he glared at his long-time friend.

"Forget this sitting over here, scared s***less. I want a dance more than you, to be honest." The buff male faced the odd couple, a hungry smirk making its way on his lips. "I noticed them the moment they got on the floor. That's quality material there!"

To the shock of everyone else, he began to walk away to his destination...until another body hurriedly blocked his way.

"No. I got this."

Hwoarang and Monica danced for nearly half an hour before someone tapped Hwoarang on the shoulder. He spun around, slightly surprised.

"What ya want?!" he asked over the music.

It was a young Japanese guy with a stylish, spiked hair look with blond highlights. He was a few inches shorter than Jin, with a slimmer build and a small earring in his left ear. The somewhat attractive man threw a smirk at the Korean.

"Hey! Nice hair," he complimented casually.

Hwoarang gave him a funny look.

"Uh, thanks! Now, I know you sure as hell didn't come over here to tell me that. So what is it?"

The native gazed over Hwoarang's shoulder at the tipsy, yet very cute, caramel-skinned girl. He couldn't help how his eyes lingered over how her dress hugged her conspicuous assets while she moved around. He smiled then brought his eyes back to Hwoarang.

"You mind if I dance with that sexy woman?" [a/n: OK, did you think he was gay? Lol. And this is the same guy that was hesitant about asking for a dance.]

The Korean glanced back at Monica, who was still rocking to the music, paying them little attention.

"You mean...her?!" he asked in disbelief.

The other man nodded.

Hwoarang shook his head. "Nnnoo! She's with me, dude. Find another chick."

Without waiting for him to leave, the redhead started dancing with Monica again.

Just a moment later, the determined native sneaked behind Monica and began dancing. She felt his body brush slightly against her back and turned around. She simply smiled, said hi and began dancing with him too.

That got Hwoarang's blood boiling. With a sneer, he marched up to Monica, pushed her gently out the way and punched the Japanese directly in the face. The attack made him stumble, but he remained on his feet. Wasting no time, the red haired male charged toward him to land another punch. Instead, the other man managed to block it and attempted to sock the Korean in the chest, only to be blocked as well. Swiftly, Hwoarang elbowed him in the nose and followed up with a spinning kick that sent the Japanese boy twirling to the floor.

By then the surrounding dancers ceased to get out the fighters' way. Ignoring the stares and gasps, Hwoarang ran over to his fallen victim and began punching him again and again, while the boy tried to defend himself from most of the damage. The alcohol in Hwoarang's system fueled his ire to the point he refused to desist punching even when his friend's scared voice was yelling for him to stop. The boy's buddies soon came jogging over to assist, but they weren't as skilled as Hwoarang in their fighting. He managed to dodge and counter the majority of their attacks despite the drinks he had.

Luckily 4 security guards parted the crowd and seized the hot-headed Korean and the more aggressive friends of the fallen native. Another guard knelt beside the bloody-nosed young man. Still, Hwoarang squirmed in their grasp, hurling insults at his foes in his native tongue as well as English.

Once security got him outside, they shoved him away and chided him for fighting in the club.

"You're not allowed to return to this club for 3 months, boy!" one of the guards scolded.

The ex-military fighter only scowled and said, "F*** that club and f*** you too! He had no business dancing with my date!"

They smirked and shook their heads. Apparently this red-haired Korean was drunk.

"Go home and sleep it off!" another guard ordered carelessly.

Hwoarang was about to go after him, until Monica came jogging out the club, looking worried. She spotted her friend and loped over to him.

"Oh my goodness, Hwoarang! What was you thinking?! It wasn't like the guy was all over me!" she reprimanded.

"Yeah?! Well I already told his dumba** not to dance with you and he did it anyway! That s*** right there deserves an a** kickin'!" defended Hwoarang.

Monica heaved a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Y'know what, this ain't gettin' us anywhere. How 'bout we just go home. You had a little too much to drink, and so did I. Anyways, this dress my friend bought me is a bit much and is drawing too much attention. The night is over."

"Wha? It ain't over, it's just getting started..."

"No! I don't feel like arguing, Hwoarang. You're not even allowed back in the club and in your state of mind, you're bound to start more trouble. Let's go."

He frowned, but let her lead him away to the subway station. Now that the cooler air of the night cleared some of the red haze from his mind, he felt pretty bad about embarrassing her like that and overreacting.

*

2 days later...

Monica dialed the number to her father's home in the US, then held the phone to her ear. After the 3rd ring, it was answered.

"Haáahe?" came her father's cautious voice.

Monica smiled at the sound and guessed he had been wondering about the number on the caller ID.

"Dad, what's up? It's Monica!"

There was a brief pause. "...Monica?! Oh, well it's about time you gave your old héh a call!"

The girl giggled a bit, then decided to switch over to Cheyenne for more privacy and also because her father preferred it over English.

"Sorry, dad. I've been meaning to call you sooner. I got caught up in Tokyo over here! There's a lot to do!"

"I see, good to know. Your mom says that you found a place for rent?"

Monica was glad her mother didn't tell him about her roommate before she did, but it didn't make it any easier to inform him.

"Yeah," she answered slowly. "I'm um...sharing a house with a native guy. B-but he's really honorable, dad. I haven't had any problems at all with him."

"A man? I don't like that, Monica. But if he is as you say he is, then I won't make a big fuss about it. And if he does give you trouble, call me and I'll be over there as soon as possible with your uncles and cousins!" the male told her tersely.

The teen sighed. "Yeah, I bet you would, dad. I'll be sure to let you know if I need your help."

"Good, nobody is going to hurt my daughter and get away with it!"

Deciding to move on, lest her father get riled up further, Monica brought up her red-haired friend.

"Um, I met up with one of my friends I met back at home...Hwoarang."

"Who?"

"Hwoarang, dad," she repeated laughingly. "Remember the redhead Korean guy?"

There was a beat of silence. "Ooohh, now I remember him. That's the Asian you brought to the house one time, yes?"

"Yup. You got it."

"That's nice. He seemed like an OK guy...I just didn't like his bright red hair. But he was pretty cool and respectful, reminded me of your uncle Otoahnacto back in the day."

"Really, uncle was like Hwoarang when he was younger?"

"He sure was! Always was popular and wore the nicest clothes. Loved the ladies and fighting too!" he reminisced fondly with a small chuckle. "But anyway, how is he doing?"

"He's doing pretty good. We hang out every few days, although he did get into a fight at the club with a few dudes..." Here, her parent began laughing and said 'I told you so!' "He found a place to stay too, but I don't know when or where he's going to move in." Monica leaned back against the sofa, absently twirling her hair. "I made 2 other friends too and a few associates. Plus, I got a job at this theater, thanks to my roommate. So, I always got some money in my pocket."

"Great, sweetheart! I guess things are going very well for you. Still, I'll be glad when you get back home. You're so far!"

The demi-African adolescent smiled. "Hey, it was time for me to see other parts of the world, dad. Besides, I'm grown now."

Her father hummed in acknowledgment, which she understood was his version of a 'yeah, yeah...' Suddenly she recollected her times with Jin's father. Automatically, her eyes glanced up at the staircase to check for him, even though most of what she says wouldn't be understood by the Japanese.

"Guess what, dad? I'm friends with that guy...Heihachi's son. Please tell me you remember Heihachi Mishima?"

"Umm, let me think, that does sound familiar. Is it the man that's the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu?"

"Yes, that's my friend's dad! His name is Kazuya."

"Kazuya Mishima, huh? His name rings a bell also. I just can't remember when I heard it. If Heihachi is like 70-something, then I know Kazuya isn't that young. How old is he and how you meet him?"

"Kazuya is probably in his mid 40's, I think. I never bothered to ask. I met him when my roommate took me and the girls to this small tournament. Me and Lisa waited for him to come out afterwards so we could get a picture taken with him. Ask mom if Lisa emailed her the pics next time you talk."

"You 2 actually waited on the man to come out the building? Is my daughter becoming a stalker now?" he joked with a disbelieving chortle, prompting said daughter to giggle along. "So you and Kazuya really hang out, even though there's a big age difference?"

"Yeah. He was the one that asked for my number, I didn't volunteer to give it to him. He even let us come to his house for a lil bit, and invited me again last month. His house is so big!"

"That's nice of him. Maybe he likes to be with the young people..."

Monica's face became flushed. "Uh, yeah. You could say that. But how are things at your place?"

"Things have been fine. Everyone had been asking about you. Business as usual. ...Your mom tell you that I was reconsidering the divorce?"

His daughter's heart skipped a beat and hope welled inside her.

"O-oh, well no she didn't say all that. But she did say that you were thinking about her lately."

"OK, I suppose you 2 didn't talk after we last spoke on the phone. Yes, baby, I am having second thoughts on that divorce now. Your mother..." he sighed deeply. "Your mother is not one I can simply forget about. I still hold love for her, Monica."

The long-haired girl covered her mouth in shock.

"Praise God! The Lord must've heard my prayers..." she merrily breathed.

"Yes. He most certainly has. Now, I'm not sure when I will move back with you 2. But, I honestly can say the divorce will not be filed. ...Maybe what we really needed was some time to ourselves."

"Yeah. Maybe so..."

There was some talking heard in the background, first a female voice—probably one of her aunts—followed by a young man. Her parent excused himself and responded to his company. After a few moments of chatting, he returned to their conversation.

"Well, daughter of mine, I hate to say this but I'll have to let you go for now. Family business to take care of. Your aunt Jaya says hello by the way."

"Ooh! Tell her I said hey and I miss her!" Monica affectionately replied. "OK then, dad it was great talking with you. I'm very glad to hear about the good news too! It's...a relief."

"And I'm glad I realized my feelings before the papers were filed... All right, now that I have your number and got to talk to you, I feel better. Enjoy the rest of your vacation over there and I love you, Monica."

"Love you too, dad! See ya!"

She hung up the phone and let out a happy sigh. Things were looking up for her parents and she was joyful. This was already an awesome day!

"Hey, Monica! What in the world was all that foreign language for? How am I supposed to understand the conversation?" came Jin's question from upstairs.

The young woman laughed. "You're too nosy, Jin! I'm comin' up there right now to teach you a lesson!"

"OK, sure!" he said, playing along.

Monica jogged up the staircase and strode into her roommate's bedroom.

"Time to fight!" she growled, stopping in front of him and crossing her arms.

Jin sat up on his bed and gazed at her with a smirk. "You dare to challenge me, Kazama Jin?"

He reminded her of a certain somebody with the smirk on his lips.

"Yes, I do! You scared now?"

The male chuckled mischievously. "Quite the contrary."

Before she knew what he was up to, he picked her up and dropped her onto the bed. Monica shrieked and laughed as she fell onto the mattress. Next, Jin straddled her [a/n: Nope, get your mind out the gutter!] trapping her legs in-between his and tickled her mercilessly. The American's laughter sounded nice to him.

"You give up yet?" questioned the boy, still tickling her.

"Ha, ha, ha...no! I'll never...give up!"

Jin increased the intensity of his torture, making her guffaw. After he saw the tears run down the sides of her face, he stopped and decided it was enough. Monica lied there, holding her sides and panting for breath.

"...Cheater," she accomplished to breathe.

The young man grinned and got off her. "You had asked for it."

She sat up slowly, rubbing her tear streaks off her face. Jin continued watching his movie. The girl studied the tattoo on his left arm. She saw it before but never this close up. Her fingers brushed over it, admiring the skill of the artist.

"Jin, that is a nice tattoo ya got there," she mumbled.

He looked over at her. It wasn't really a tattoo, but he didn't want to tell her the deal. The truth was he had the mark since birth...and he knew why.

"Thanks. That's the first and last tattoo I'm going to get."

Unexpectedly, the phone rang. They jolted with surprise and giggled.

"I'll get it this time," Jin told her, jumping up and running down the steps.

Monica nodded even though he couldn't see her and lied back on the disheveled bed. On the 4th ring, Jin answered the phone.

"Hello?" he greeted in Japanese.

There was a moment of silence before the voice answered back, "Hi. Is Ms. Monica available?"

It was a man's voice with a business-like edge. Could this stranger be Monica's secret date? Jin's eyes narrowed.

"Uh, yes she is. May I ask who is calling?"

"I'm afraid I cannot disclose that information. But...just tell her that I am 'Scarface.'"

"All right...just a moment."

He set the phone down and went back upstairs to tell Monica.

When she saw him, she asked, "So, who was that? Xiaoyu? One of your coworkers?"

"Actually, it's for you." His brow furrowed.

Monica sat up, smiling. "Oh, it's Hwoarang?"

"No...it's some guy. He wouldn't give me his real name, but he said for me to tell you it's 'Scarface'." He shrugged. "He knows Japanese perfectly, so I assume he's Japanese."

The girl immediately got an idea who this mystery man was. Her smile grew, as did her excitement.

"Ooh! I know who that is."

She dashed past Jin and down the steps, earning a suspicious stare from him. She grabbed the telephone.

"What's up, Scarface?"

The man chuckled lightly. "Hey, Bishoujo. Did you think I forgot about you?"

"A little, yeah. It's been...nearly 2 weeks."

"Yes, I know. Sorry, yet you must understand that I have business matters to attend to, among other things."

Monica felt a hint of selfishness in her gut. She had to remember he had a life too.

"Oh right. So, where are you?"

"Well, I'm getting close to your house now. I should be arriving in a few minutes. Hopefully you have no real plans today?"

"Nothin' very important," she answered, even though her, Jin and Xiaoyu were planning to go to the city park then grab a bite to eat.

"Excellent..." He paused. "OK, I'm a few blocks away. Come out when you're ready. See you soon."

He hung up, Monica following suit. A big grin spread over her face. She put on her discarded sneakers then walked over to the bottom of the stairs.

"Yo, Jin! I'm sorry, but I ain't gonna be able to go with ya'll today. I'm leaving with Scarface," she called.

"Oh! Well, OK then. Wish you could join us though. Have fun wherever you're going," he said, walking to the top of the steps.

"Will do! You 2 do the same! Be back later on."

She made sure to pick up her keys off the table and bounded out the door. The black limo was already waiting for her. The girl strode up to the passenger door, Anikki meeting her there. As customary, he bowed and opened the door for her. She climbed in and was greeted by a smirking Kazuya.

She smiled in return and was pleasantly astounded by his more casual appearance, compared to how he usually dressed. He had on a smokey grey plaid polo shirt and black slacks. The short sleeves allowed Monica to view his defined forearms.

"Whoa, check you out. You're actually not wearing a suit, for once," she observed.

Kazuya grinned his predatory grin. "Yeah. I wasn't going anywhere special today, so I put this on instead."

"Good. You should do that more often. And I guess we're not goin' out today, since you're not dressed up."

He nodded. "Correct. I hope you're not disappointed, but we are going to my home." He stared out the tinted window. "Call it a day of leisure."

"Aight, no complaints here," Monica said, shrugging her shoulders.

She shifted so that her body was turned toward the Mishima and casually ran her fingers through the spiked locks on the back of his head. He flinched slightly at her soft caresses, but did not pull away.

"So, how come you ain't tell Jin who you was?"

He grunted. "I didn't want him to get upset that his own father was taking his roommate out or had his number. When the time comes, we'll talk."

'Too late. I already mentioned that you got the number, but thankfully, he seems to have forgotten about it,' Monica thought. "That'll be the day!" she commented.

Kazuya smiled, simply enjoying the feel of her digits sliding over his scalp.

"...Your fingers are so pliant," he murmured in content.

"Yeah, I've been told that. I just have this hobby with playing in people's hair...mostly guys. They love it, heh."

"I believe you. Scoot over some, I'm going to lie down."

She moved away as he lied back, his head resting on her lap. The girl resumed her ministrations on his hair once he was settled. He sighed and soon let his eyes close. It had been years since anyone did this to him and not only did it feel great, it had a relaxing effect on him. He wouldn't mind allowing her to run her fingers through his hair all day.

He gradually opened his eyes to gaze at her. The first thing that came into view was her chest. For a moment, he debated if he should request for her to do something. He unconsciously licked his lips at the cogitation, then stared past her bosom to her attractive face.

The American gazed down at him and smiled bashfully, before averting her amber eyes out the window. He smirked and let her digits lull him into a light snooze.

Monica realized how quiet Kazuya became and looked down on him to see why. He was sound asleep. His face didn't appear so grave anymore and he was a lot more at ease and peaceful-looking. Her eyes traveled down to his chest, where a couple buttons were undone, revealing a teasing amount of skin to her eye. Already knowing he was muscular, it was the first time she seen him show this much skin. She scanned his sinewy arms and hands. They also radiated strength. Hell, his whole body demonstrated how powerful he truly was, even though his clothing made a feeble attempt to cover it up. She certainly would never want to be an opponent against him in a tournament.

Presently, her attention fell on the narrow, 2 part scar across his face. She wondered what weapon his father used on him during their fighting. Gingerly, she raised her hand and brushed a digit over the scar. In an instant, Kazuya's strong hand shot up and captured her wrist. A gasp of alarm escaped her lips.

His eyes opened and landed on her own. She could only blink dumbfoundedly. He cackled at her expression.

"As a trained martial artist, I learned never to let my guard completely down...even while sleeping. Just because I was taking a nap doesn't mean I'm unaware of my surroundings."

Monica was still too stunned to speak. A vain smirk formed on the son of Heihachi's lips. His hold slackened on her wrist and then his phalanges began massaging her hand.

"Soft hands," he muttered in his native tongue.

He noted how tense she still was and felt a pang of sympathy. He didn't mean to get her so worked up. To assure her that he wouldn't harm her, he planted a quick kiss to her fingertips.

Monica gradually relaxed and smiled.

* *

Kazuya led Monica into the small forest area that lay behind the mansion. The adolescent surveyed the vast amount of land in wonder. It was very beautiful.

"Kazuya, it's really nice out here," she complimented. "I can't believe you don't think much of it."

"Well, thanks. I'm still in the process of getting used to the lower standards of living compared to the Zaibatsu."

She only nodded. They kept strolling in silence, only speaking to comment on a few trees or birds. After another 20 minutes of sight-seeing, Monica turned to him.

"Hey, I feel like playin' around a little with all this open land. C'mon, try to catch me, Kazuya!"

Kazuya quirked a dark eyebrow.

"Nani? You want to play some childish game with me?" [a/n: yes Kazuya, you got so focused on her body that you forgot how young she still was mentally lol]

Monica rolled her eyes. He and Jin were both serious, but at least Jin knew how to loosen up sometimes. Kazuya did not, except when he had gotten tipsy.

"Oh stop it. You really are too serious. It's not childish, it's kinda fun. Now, try to catch me!"

She started running away from Kazuya, but turned around after discovering he wasn't following.

"Y'know what? Since you are in your 40's, I guess this is a little too strenuous for ya," she sulked falsely.

The martial artist crossed his arms, cocking his head to the side.

"Nonsense! Just because I'm in my 40's does not mean I am handicapped and out of shape. For 23 years I have been one of the top fighters in the world, onna!"

"So then show me what an old man can do!" Monica challenged.

Her insult hit a nerve. Suddenly, he came speeding toward her. Monica shrieked and ran away from him. She always thought of herself as fast since she helped her track team win a few trophies back in high school, but Kazuya proved to be even faster. He was steadily gaining on her. She had to resort to zig-zagging or perform unexpected changes in direction to trick him and put more distance between them. Luckily for her, Kazuya's shoes lacked the traction to prevent slipping...something her sneakers did well. They both were laughing through it all though.

Currently, the girl stopped and waited for Kazuya to get just a few feet away before she sprinted to the side. The man tried to spin around, but his slippery shoes caused him to lose his footing. He went down, landing on one hand, yet managed to hook his fingers around Monica's foot. The girl yelped and stumbled before losing her balance. The karate fighter smirked, triumphant at finally tripping his prey. He got to his feet and began approaching her. Monica scurried away to the woods, the Japanese man hot on her trail.

They entered the woods again, Monica's progress slowed from the numerous trees, but she hoped that it did the same for him. She ventured a peek behind her and saw no one. She slowed to a halt and peered around herself in bewilderment. It seemed as though Kazuya vanished into thin air.

She tip-toed through the trees, wondering where he could be lurking. She jumped when a twig snapped nearby and whirled around to find out who or what it was. Again, no one was there. The girl sighed shakily.

'Where in the world did he go so fast?!' the American thought frantically.

Gingerly, she began making her way to the end of the woods, where the sunlight was more abundant. Not too long after, there was some rustling a few feet to her right. Her head whipped in its direction to see a small bird flying into the air. She remained staring in its direction, when all of a sudden, she was ambushed by someone. Monica screamed as they rolled around on the forest floor. When the 2 came to a stop, the young woman gazed behind her to come face-to-face with Kazuya.

He smirked. "That was fun, wasn't it?" he questioned mischievously, placing a kiss on her ear.

Monica scowled. "No, you scared me to death."

Kazuya stood up, then extended a hand to her. She took it and got to her feet.

"You did really good for an old guy though, haha!"

The Mishima patted the dirt of his outfit and frowned.

"Old is only in the age, but it doesn't have to be in the body." His frown lightened to a smirk. "Besides...this 'old guy' sure kept you on your toes, ne?"

He started walking away from her, feeling victorious that she didn't have a comeback. Monica was a little stumped, yet allowed herself to chuckle.

"Aight, that was a good point. You're right...your age is old, but you ain't."

She dusted herself off, following him back to the house.

"Whatcha want to do now?"

"Well that was good exercise, so now I'm in the mood to train. You probably can't assist me much in that area."

At first Monica was a little insulted at his latter comment, but thought about it. As far as martial arts were concerned, she couldn't deny that she knew little about them. She knew mostly street fighting moves. Kazuya had no use for such simple tactics. She did, however, learn a few handy defense techniques from Hwoarang. If she hadn't froze up once that robber pulled his gun out on her, she was sure she'd recall her training the Korean gave her.

"Now that I thought about how I fight and how you fight, I can't get mad."

Kazuya smirked again. "See what I mean?" He reached the back door and opened it for her. "While I train, you can watch television or go upstairs on the computer to occupy your time until I'm finished and bathed."

Monica started strolling into the house, making a whiny sound.

"Man, you're gonna take all day, Kazuya!"

He chortled before grabbing her arm to keep her from walking farther inside.

"Matte. You have to remove your shoes first...I nearly forgot myself."

Monica glanced down with a frown at her grass-stained sneakers.

"Oh, right. I hate when they get this dirty."

After removing their shoes, Kazuya's butler came ambling up to them.

"Good afternoon, sir. Is there anything you need?" he asked with a bow of his head.

The fighter stood up. "Yeah." He picked up his shoes, along with Monica's. "Have these cleaned off, please. And make sure all the equipment is set up in the training room."

"As you wish."

The chubby butler whisked the shoes away.

Monica stood staring after him. "I'm guessin' he's gonna clean our shoes."

The tall Japanese nodded. "Exactly." After meandering over to the refrigerator, he asked, "Thirsty?"

"Yeah, a little. What you got in there?"

Kazuya opened the well-kept refrigerator and looked around.

"Orange juice, alkaline water, milk, cranberry juice and apple juice."

"Umm, I'll have the water."

He nodded with approval ere grabbing the gallon of water, and retrieved 2 glasses out the cabinet. Once he finished with filling their glasses and putting the jug away, he gave Monica her glass.

"Thanks. So...how old are you exactly, Kazuya? I'm just curious."

He took a few gulps of water first, then eyed her suspiciously.

"...47. What, you have more 'old man' jokes?"

Monica's trimmed eyebrows lifted in slight astonishment.

"Hmm? You're a couple years older than what I thought. Just 3 years before you hit the big 5-0!" She took a swig of her water. "But you don't look like you're even in your 30's. You sure take care of yourself."

"Well, thank you. I do live a healthy life."

The North Carolina native stared into space for a moment.

"So, tell me. You ever think I was a little too young for ya?"

Her eyes swung up to his and he stared into them. They were boldly curious.

"Err, not really." His broad shoulders jerked in a shrug. "I never actually pondered over your age. I don't mind, do you?"

A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

Monica looked lost for words for an instant. "Not really." She drank more water.

"Good." He downed the remains of his drink before setting the glass into the empty sink. "All right, I'm going upstairs to change into my training pants. I'll be right back down." He walked out the kitchen with, "Feel free to watch TV."

The teen gazed at his back until he turned up the stairway. She couldn't believe her 'friend'...well, boyfriend, for all intents and purposes was more than twice her age. This was a first! Normally no one was more than 3 years older than her, although admittedly she didn't date a lot of guys before Kazuya. At least the man didn't look his age.

She sighed, still in thought, and finished up her drink.

[a/n: mad romance up ahead for the rest of the chapter, don't fall asleep on me lol]

Monica sat watching a talk show on TV, absorbed in the events that were unfolding. She knew only a few choice Japanese words, but the raw emotion of the people participating on the show was entertaining.

Soon Kazuya came down the steps. "I see you're really into whatever show you're looking at."

"Yeah. This show is wild."

Kazuya strutted past the widescreen TV so he was out of her way, to study the show. Monica's back was facing him when he came down the steps, so she didn't see what he had on. Her gold-brown eyes instantaneously locked onto his bare torso. For a second she only marveled at how fit he was until she came across the nasty, lengthy scar marring his sculpted chest and abs. A sharp gasp of abhorrence issued out of her open mouth as her hand instinctively clutched at her bosom.

"Kazuya! Oh, God! What happened to you?!" she breathed, eyes wide and fixated on the jagged scar. "I can't imagine how much pain you must've been in when you got that!"

Her sudden outburst startled him somewhat. He swiftly found out what she was goggling at. He touched the frightful looking scar. Of course, he nearly forgot his friend with benefits never truly saw the scar since it was dark in his bedroom.

"Oh...you mean this." His eyes focused on her face. "This is what my father did to me so many years ago. I was only 5 years old."

Monica stared at him in wonder. "5? What exactly did your dad do to you?"

Kazuya's eyes began to harden. "...He dropped me into a trench. Wouldn't even listen to my pleading."

The teenager's hand went to her open mouth.

"Oh no! What a prick! How could he do such a thing?! Why?!" she interrogated in bewilderment and disgust.

The man lowered his head. "My mother was killed when I was a child...by him. He claimed she was evil, so he had to take her out. He didn't have the decency to be remorseful about it either, he rubbed it in my face. Anyhow, due to that, he thought me to be evil as well and wanted to kill me by dropping me over the cliff." A trace of rage rose in his tone. He took a deep breath to quell his wrath as well as the devil gene, and slowly looked back up at her. His eyes were no longer angry and hateful, but a shadow of stoicism was present. "Remember what you said about me the first night you were over here?"

She thought it over. "Yeah..." she replied cautiously.

"Well...you were right. My father never lavished any type of affection on me throughout my childhood and adolescence. He even beat me for trivial reasons. I felt like a criminal in my own home." He clenched his fists, closed his dark eyes and breathed slowly to calm himself again. "Day and night I contemplated killing him to get my revenge. But instead, I stuck with my training to let out some of the scorn I bore for him. ...There was the matter of my grandfather, who was generally a compassionate person and treated me with kindness, but my father didn't like that and imprisoned him." The Japanese looked upwards as if gazing into the heavens. "However, he ended up dying in his cell from starvation. It was very cruel and dishonorable of Heihachi to do that."

He chose to stop the story right there. She didn't need to get dragged into his dreadful past...but then again, he faintly wished her life wasn't so smooth either. Why did he have to be cursed with such a painful past?

The male's eyes lowered to land on her face. For a moment, he began to hate her too. He envied her normal, loving life. She was so d***** pampered! He desired to take that away from her. He wanted to make her feel the pain and suffering, anger and hatred. She was already under his control; he did not have to do much. Besides, they were all alone in the room, his servant was down on the ground floor, presumably in the training room. He could effortlessly snatch her up, take her to his bedroom... He'd like to witness her cries for help, her terrified, betrayed expression...the tears of hot pain rolling down her cheeks. Yes, she would never be the same after that episode. She'd be like him: scarred for life, knowing only agony and animosity.

Kazuya broke out his seething to really study her. She was so young, attractive and...caring. She cared about him. She was the 3rd person to show him any affection. Her concerned and sad expression sealed his decision; he could not hurt her. Meeting someone like her was a complete blessing. There was no way he would throw that down the drain.

"Kazuya, you OK?" she questioned worriedly.

The tall man nodded carelessly. "Yes. I'm fine, thank you. My father just makes me so angry."

Monica stared into his eyes, noticing a faint glare of red in his left eye. However, it soon vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared. Was it her imagination or was it really there? She decided to dismiss it.

"Oh all right. But anyway, that's really cold-blooded and horrible what your father did."

"Indeed. Yet, I rather not talk about it anymore. It really pisses me off..."

He rubbed his forehead.

The girl wasn't quite done with the scar though. Her fingers drummed gently on her knee. She had to mention that night they slept together.

"Um...I remember that night when...y'know," Monica began shyly, her cheeks turning pink. "I would scratch you and there seemed to be a certain part where you really liked to be scratched. Is it the scar?"

Kazuya gazed at her uncertainly. "Uh, yeah. It is the scar. It's a little more sensitive, just a little as far as pleasurable sensations are concerned."

Monica scrutinized the mark doubtfully. "You mean it makes you feel good? It look like it'll hurt if I scratch it."

He smiled slyly. "No. Quite the contrary." Sauntering over to her with the same smile, he dared her, "Go on, touch it."

She was hesitant and still regarded it as if it were a fresh gash. "...I dunno. I looks so bad."

The Japanese rolled his eyes. "Onna, if you won't do it voluntarily, then I'll make you."

He grasped her hand and lifted it up to his chest, observing Monica's nose scrunch up in mild distaste. He brushed her soft fingers over the long scar. Immediately he hummed at the sensuous feeling of her feathery touch. Before he could try again, he reluctantly released her hand.

"See? That felt good."

Monica raised an eyebrow, intrigued. This time, with much more confidence she skimmed her fingers down the entire length of the mark. The man's eyes became half-lidded and a smile curled his lips. Sheesh, she was beginning to tempt him, little did she know.

The American watched his expression, thrilled and pleased that she could make him feel so good just by touching his scar. Getting daring, she started to rake her nails over the scar, yet Kazuya seized her wrists and pinned them against the couch. Monica stared up at him, somewhat surprised as he leaned over her, lustful look in his dark brown eyes. Had she done that again, he'd throw her over his shoulder and go upstairs for a workout instead.

He pecked her on the lips.

"No. Don't keep doing that. I won't get to my training," he purred huskily...not that he would mind. It had been awhile since they had fun.

Meanwhile, Monica was taken aback at how fast he was. She blushed at his words. Her eyes broke contact to watch his muscles become taut with restraint. The girl could tell he wanted to do something, but she was too shy and conservative to initiate anything seriously intimate.

"Oh, my fault," she apologized softly.

Her light eyes darted elsewhere and she resisted a giggle.

Kazuya smirked. "You're lucky my butler is coming," he rasped in Japanese, hearing the servant's footsteps.

Monica looked perplexed, yet smiled. He let her go and sat next to her as the butler came marching into the room.

"Mr. Mishima," he began in Japanese. "Your training equipment is set up."

"Thanks. You're excused for now," replied Kazuya. "But be on standby in case Ms. Monica here needs anything."

The pudgy man bowed and left them alone.

Kazuya turned his attention to Monica. A hypnotic glimmer was in his eyes.

"Well, it's time for me to go train now, Bishoujo. If you need anything, my butler will be around to help."

Monica sat looking deep into his mysterious orbs, being lured into their depths. She felt compelled to kiss him, so she leaned forward and timidly pressed her full lips against his. He crooned at their supple texture and before he could envelope her in his arms, she pulled away. A grunt of disappointment escaped his throat.

"Tease," he grumbled.

The girl only grinned coyly.

He watched her for a brief moment, seeing another faint blush creep on her cheeks. So bashful, yet stubborn, caring yet not so innocent. She hadn't been a virgin (though she certainly felt and responded like one), she had a sharp tongue, and he could tell she had some experience with the streets. He liked this combination. In some ways she was like Jun and in others, she was not. The young American possessed that extra spunk that Jun lacked, in addition to a no-nonsense attitude once someone insulted her. Nevertheless, she was basically a reincarnation of the sweet Japanese beauty...only with a few changes.

Kazuya stood and strode out the living room, still dwelling on his past love. Yeah, he'd better go train now.

Monica watched him go before reverting her attention to the TV show. After the show was over, 15 minutes later, she flicked through the channels for another entertaining show or good movie. She stopped when she saw the news broadcast. She never actually watched much Tokyo news before, so her curiosity got the best of her.

Currently, a scene was being shown of doctors surrounding a patient, preparing for surgery. Of course, the actual procedure wasn't shown, but she figured it was some type of major success story. Her assumption was verified when there were before/after pictures of an obese woman. The 1st photo was a 400 lb. mess of a lady. The 2nd revealed noticeable improvement. Her body was much more shapely, her stomach had shrunk as did her legs, arms and face.

'Good for you, girl,' Monica thought. 'But there's no way I would wanna go through expensive surgery to look slimmer.'

She automatically looked down on herself. The girl knew she wasn't fat, but sometimes she felt like it when she was around some of her friends. Many of them were a size 7 or smaller; she was a 13.

'At least most guys don't mind this size. But, Lisa has the right idea of not caring what others think of her size. Guys seem to pay more attention to curvy girls than skinny ones, anyways.'

Through the hour Monica surfed from one channel to another. But she found herself getting a tad bored. She kind of missed Kazuya's company. But...she wasn't quite sure where he was. She then recalled the butler.

"Mr. Butler?!" she called out, hoping he heard her.

A couple seconds later he answered, "Coming!"

She heard the back door open and the man's footsteps. He moved pretty briskly for someone his age. Once he got to her, his head bowed curtly.

"Yes?"

"Hi," Monica greeted, turning to face him. "Could you show me where the training room is? I need to speak with Mr. Mishima."

The servant wasn't quite as comfortable with interpreting English, but he basically understood what she was trying to say. Still appearing slightly puzzled, he nodded and motioned for her to follow. Monica clicked off the TV and trailed behind the relatively short man. He led her into the kitchen, turned to his right towards a closed door and opened it. Grinning, he gestured down the stairwell. The girl peered down the steps curiously then back at the man.

"Thank you."

He nodded and retreated to the back porch to tend to the deck.

Monica was grateful that there were lights that lit the way and the steps were concrete, not wood. She gingerly made her way down, feeling the air grow just a bit cooler. She reached the hall and eventually heard some grunts, huffing and the noise of something being hit. It had to be Kazuya training.

When she reached the doorway to the training room, her eyes immediately fastened onto Kazuya. The girl was practically mesmerized by how agile and powerful he was as he attacked the punching bag. Apparently, the bag was taking a beating, many dents were all over its surface. A small tear was seen as well.

Kazuya's face was extremely concentrated, his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. His mouth was set in a straight line. Monica could make out the beads of sweat on his face and back.

Presently he grew bored of the battered bag and swaggered over to some wooden dummies, still not noticing her standing just beyond the doorway. He stopped in front of one, cracking his neck and flexing his muscled arms. The fighter then stared down at his feet as his hands balled into fists and arms bent slightly.

At first Monica was confused as to why he just stared at his feet. She couldn't see his face since his back was facing her. But she looked closer and discovered how tense his muscles were and knew he must've been concentrating.

Another minute went by before Kazuya broke out his frozen state and delivered a lightning quick punch to the dummy's head, knocking it clear off. Monica jerked at the unexpected crack and blinked, realizing the small blue sparks that danced over his hand on contact with the dummy. Before she knew it, Kazuya continued his assault, sending his large fist straight through the dummy's body. Still not pausing, he leaped over to the next target, punching off its arms and performing a footsweep that broke both wooden legs easily. Blue sparks flashed over his limbs again.

The ex-KOIF dashed over to the last dummy and surprisingly didn't attack it outright. Instead, he lifted his foot, heel resting against the side of its head. He slowly began to bring his leg back down, balancing steadily on his other foot, before he abruptly reversed his movement. In a blur, his leg whirled and shattered the figure's head into hundreds of splinters. Monica's eyes broadened with fascination at his strength.

Kazuya then stood in a stance and brought his fist in contact with his open hand, a gesture Monica recalled from several martial arts movies. She wasn't sure what the name of it was. Her pondering was interrupted when her eyes caught Kazuya's movements.

He was now making his way over to a clear area of mat and began going through some karate moves. The man wasn't moving deftly as he was before. Instead, his movements were controlled and graceful.

Once again, the demi-African girl couldn't help but admire how fluidly he moved. And his muscles...ugh! They were gleaming with a fine sheen of sweat as they shifted and bunched under his skin. The man was like a piece of art. She silently wanted to run her hands all over him.

'So...this is where Jin got his bangin' body from...' thought the girl devilishly.

After letting the Mishima practice his moves some more, she finally decided to get his attention. She started clapping leisurely. Instantly, the male ceased what he was doing and faced her direction, a mixture of bewilderment and ire on his visage. Once he realized it was her, his expression lifted to pleasant surprise.

"Very good!" she complimented, strolling into the large room. "Did I ever tell you how much you impress me?"

He shook his head and smirked awkwardly. "How long have you been standing there?" he questioned.

"Ooohh, a long time." She put her hands on her hips. "You're a great fighter, and strong as hell!"

Kazuya smiled. "Thanks."

He trotted over to a bench for weight lifting, where a white towel lay and grabbed it. He sauntered back to her, wiping the perspiration off himself.

"I guess someone couldn't bare to be alone?" he quipped.

Monica giggled. "Well it starts to get boring watching TV without anybody to talk to."

"Right," he responded, not fully convinced. His hand rested on her lower back as he guided her out the room and up the steps. "Kami, I'm thirsty."

"I'm sure you are, as much as you trained. It had to have been at least an hour and a half. When I work out, I usually stop after an hour or so."

They made it to the kitchen and Kazuya walked right to the refrigerator and got out a water bottle. He drank from it in audible gulps for 10 seconds straight. Monica snickered. He glanced at her.

"Nani?"

"Oh, nothing. Keep drinkin'."

He eyed her skeptically, but finished the bottle anyway.

When he was done, he told her, "All right, I'm hot and sweaty. I'm going to take a shower. You're going to have to wait for me again."

Monica heaved an annoyed sigh.

"Please don't take long in that bathroom."

Her boyfriend tossed the empty bottle into the recycling bin and began walking up to her with a strangely erotic look in his piercing orbs. She retreated every step he took forward.

"Why would I take so long in the shower? I'm just going to wash up."

He noticed her beginning to get edgy and smirked inwardly.

"Um...well, some people just don't jump in and jump out. They like to relax too."

Her back hit the wall and she was forced to stop retreating. The man's arms trapped her between them as if to prevent her from escaping.

"I won't take long unless you join me in there," he mumbled seductively.

The amber-eyed girl was now nervous, yet mildly turned on at his behavior. Her eyes could not remain on his for long.

"I...um...your pants are starting to fall down," she lied.

Kazuya glanced down, falling for the bait.

"Nani? They're not fall--"

"Now they are!"

The teen yanked on his sash, making it come untied. Immediately, his gi pants dropped to his hips. It looked as though he could pose for a model agency for boxer briefs.

"Hey!" he cried in surprise, taking his hands off the wall on either side of her to tend to his pants.

Monica laughed and strode away towards the living room, relieved to escape from him. His coming onto her really made her skittish.

"Smart...really smart, onna," said Kazuya sarcastically after he re-tied his sash.

He still wasn't done with her, however.

Monica only shrugged and giggled innocently, walking into the living room. For the first time, Kazuya's eyes dipped below to her rear and watched it sway slightly.

He never had any idea that a relatively big butt could be so appealing [a/n: lol]. As long as it was toned and shapely, he supposed he didn't mind the size at all. He found himself wanting to grasp it and see how soft it was. Yet he had bigger things on his mind.

With a large smirk, he trotted up behind her and scooped her off her feet and into his strong arms. The American squealed.

"Kazuya, what're you doin'?"

He flashed his hunter's grin. "I'm taking you upstairs to shower with me," he informed, walking up the stairs.

Her eyes grew wide, a knot forming in her belly.

"N-no, Kazuya. You don't need me to take a shower with you. I don't even have any clean underwear to change into!" [a/n: not only is she shy, she knows how he feels]

The martial artist scoffed. "So? It's not like you're staying overnight anyway. Just don't put them back on. Go natural for a few hours."

They reached the 2nd floor and were now going to the guest bathroom, since it was closest. Monica scowled.

"What? No way! I'm not into wearing nothing under my clothes."

He put her down before they went into the bathroom. A twinge of displeasure was etched on his face

"Oh, come on. You can't handle having no underwear on for a few hours?"

She avoided his scrutinizing gaze. "No...I can't. Sorry."

The girl attempted to get past him, but he stopped her with a hand on her thigh.

"I thought you weren't afraid of me," he said softly, but accusingly.

His hand moved around to her inner leg, then snaked its way up toward the junction between her legs. She sucked in her breath, her face flushing.

"I'm not," her voice resounded awkwardly. Quickly, she removed his hand. "I'll wait for you in your room."

He frowned as she walked briskly down the hall to his room. He already knew she was stubborn, but didn't believe she would be when it came to sex. Jun had been more willing, although she was also shy when it came to the subject. Then again, he and Jun had been in love...he and Monica were not. Disappointed, he shut the bathroom door behind him.

When Kazuya strutted into the bedroom, Monica was still there, lying on the spacious bed—eyes closed. Did she really fall asleep?

Before he could call her name, she told him, "I ain't sleep, if you was wondering. Just restin' my eyes. And they're gonna stay closed until you put some clothes on."

The Japanese man chuckled.

"Bishoujo, you are too shy for your own good."

He dried off before sauntering over to his bureau and searched for a pair of boxers. After sliding them on, he put on deodorant and lotion, then got out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"OK, open your eyes. I'm dressed," he ordered with a hint of pique.

Monica cautiously opened her honey eyes and smiled once she confirmed he was dressed.

"That didn't take too long. And that's what I call casual."

He rolled his eyes and stared at her. He was still wanting her, but he doubted she would let him. It was then that an alternative idea popped into his mind. There was a fat chance she would turn down his offer.

"Onna...I'm hungry," he stated.

Monica sat up, glaring. "Say what? You're hungry?" She shook her head. "Don't you got your own chefs for that?!"

She couldn't believe he was asking her to cook for him, even though she wasn't a bad cook. He couldn't help but burst out laughing at the thought. That would be repulsive. Clearly, she didn't know what he wanted.

He strolled over to her side of the bed, smirking.

"What I want is not a meal. It's just...a snack compared to what I truly desire."

A funny glint was in his eyes.

Her scowl shifted to a questioning look.

"A snack? Well, let's go downstairs and check those cabinets. I'm sure there's a lot of food."

She got off the bed, but her host pushed her back down with a hand.

"Now what?"

Her patience was starting to wear thin.

"I wish to taste something. And that's something only you can help me with."

Monica finally understood what he was trying to say, even though he had been beating around the bush about it. Her face grew red hot as she gazed at her feet. He...wanted to do...that?! But it was way too intimate and well...it was never done before.

"B-but...why would you want your face down...there? I-it's too much! Too...unclean," she sputtered nervously, sounding younger than her age.

Kazuya practically growled, barely managing to keep the frustrated entity inside from influencing his vocal cords. First the shower refusal, and now this? [a/n: haha, i'm just picturing how he would look right about now] Was he going to have to beg? He was a little too proud for that, so instead he decided to try to persuade her. He got down on his knees and placed his hands on her legs.

"Bishoujo, don't make me beg," he purred, eyes boring into hers. "Honestly, I haven't done this in years. I'm very particular about who I choose to give this privilege to. You're hands-down the sexiest woman I met, so I must admit this is something that has crossed my mind a few times before today. And it's not like you're some slut. Trust me, I really want to make you feel good."

His strong hands rubbed her upper legs and then went underneath to palm her rump and lift her up a bit. He brought her closer to the edge of the bed, his desire growing in his dark depths.

"I want to see it. I want to hear you whine. I want to feel you trembling. I want to know what you taste like."

Before the blushing girl realized it, his lips claimed hers in a fiery kiss. She gasped in shock only to feel his tongue slip inside her mouth. Despite her hesitation, she moaned and in response, his fingers squeezed her bottom. Oh, it felt ideal to him...soft, yet firm. They kept kissing for awhile and by the end of the kiss, Monica was having second thoughts about stopping him.

**

"Aaaahh!" came a young woman's shriek.

Kazuya's butler, who was dusting in the den, heard the outburst and instantly stopped what he was doing. The yell had come from upstairs. Where was his boss and what could be wrong with the American?! Maybe she was hurt and needed his help!

With no more hesitation, he dropped the duster and ran as fast as his thick legs could carry him. Soon he reached the master bedroom. The door was cracked open, so he easily burst through it, heart pounding from his serious workout and adrenaline.

"Miss?!" he cried worriedly.

He would have found the view that greeted him alluring if it wasn't for his employer standing just beyond the girl on the other side of the bed. The glower he sent him made his knees buckle and instilled fear in his heart. Kazuya and the girl wore clothes, but that didn't mean he wasn't interrupting something.

"Get out, you idiot! Who the hell do you think you are, bursting in my room like that!?" snarled Kazuya in Japanese. "Do it again...and not only will your employment be terminated, I'll beat the s*** out of you!"

The servant bowed deeply twice, muttering, "Forgive me, Mr. Mishima! I am very sorry!"

He fled out the room, shutting the door behind him.

The scarred fighter remained glaring after him for a moment, his rage still boiling inside him. The audacity of that low-level butler! He wanted to punch him through a wall for bursting in on his and Monica's private moment. It was a good thing they weren't having sex.

He closed his eyes and sighed, sensing the demon within grow eager. When his eyes opened, he gazed at Monica, who was still coming off her high. The anger from before melted away at the sight. Smirking, he stooped and retrieved her bikini to lay them on the bed.

The girl suddenly questioned, "Kazuya...don't tell me your butler came in here?"

Licking his lips a final time, the man sat down next to her and started transferring her into his lap, bridal style. With manly pride, he noticed how satiated and relaxed she appeared.

"Yes, he did. That a**hole. I wanted to kill him," Kazuya grumbled.

She groaned with embarrassment. "Good Lord..."

Sleep was beginning to call to her, however the karate expert lightly shook her back to full awareness as he stood up.

"We're going to my master bathroom to freshen up a bit. Don't fall asleep just yet," he informed. "But no worries, he didn't see anything. Just your legs."

After they were finished in the large bathroom, they returned to the bedroom. Monica put her bikini on inside-out then slipped into her shorts. She then sluggishly snuggled into the bed sheets, ere closing her eyes. The Mishima wrapped his arms around her slim waist and squeezed her against him momentarily, savoring the softness of her body. He briefly buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the faint scent of cucumber-melon off her skin.

Everything about her drove him insane: her touch, her smile, her long silky hair, her eyes and exotic beauty...not to mention her body. He could not deny that he was starting to become infatuated with her. However, he didn't actually like her beyond sex. She was a superb lay and someone to show off to the public. Don't get him wrong, he wouldn't intentionally hurt her feelings. He only continued seeing her because she wasn't some gold digger and actually cared about him as a person. Had she been like the others he had in his bed for a night, he would've cut her off immediately—no matter how much he would miss that virgin-like, curvaceous body of hers.

Presently, he could make out the sound of her deep, slow breathing. She was asleep. Yawning quietly, he followed her into a relaxing nap.

* * *

Back at the park...

Xiaoyu and Jin sat on a bench in the park, enjoying the scenery. There was an abundance of sunshine, a warm breeze was blowing, birds chirped merrily.

The Chinese girl checked on her quiet friend. He seemed to be in thought, a weak frown on his lips. She wondered what was on his mind. Her elbow nudged him in the ribs, snapping him out of his musings.

He looked at her questioningly. "What is it?"

She smiled. "Just wondering what's running through your head. You're quiet."

He shook his head dismissively. "Oh...not much," he lied.

Xiaoyu knew her friend better than that. "Come on, Jin. Stop playing games. What ya thinking about?"

Jin sighed, looking away from her. "...Just about Monica's mystery man. I wonder who he is. She didn't even give me a name or talk about him. It's like she doesn't want me to know."

The girl grinned. "Ooh is that so? Well..." she said, cocking her head a bit and staring up at the sky. "I remember the night we talked on the phone about some guy. From what she told me, he has lots of money and a nice house."

Jin stared at her with interest. "Oh yeah? Hmm, so she's seeing a rich guy?! She has only been here for less than 2 months and she snagged a rich guy. Lucky."

A small smile replaced the frown. So, she was interested in Japanese men after all.

The petite female shrugged. "As long as he treats her well, I don't really care who it is."

"Right. But I'm still a little curious about him."

Xiaoyu eyed him. "Stop being such a worry wart. Are you jealous or what?"

The karate fighter's eyes widened. "W-what? I am not jealous! Why should I have to be jealous?" he sputtered.

She giggled in a little girl fashion. "I don't know, but you are."

He crossed his arms defensively. "No, I don't think so."

Xiaoyu leaned towards him. "Seriously, Jin. Are you envious about Monica's friend?"

She prayed he wasn't.

The handsome son of Kazuya glanced over at her thoughtfully. He unfolded his arms slowly.

"I...I guess I am a little jealous."

The pig-tailed girl's heart dropped to her stomach. How could this be?! Didn't he see that she had an interest in him and not Monica? The American generally looked at him as a good friend.

"Oh...I see," she whispered with a hint of gloom.

Jin's eyebrows rose at her sudden change in attitude. "Xiaoyu? What's wrong?"

She looked up at him for a quick moment, attempting to smile.

"It's just—oh, never mind."

"No, tell me. What's the matter?" he probed, placing a concerned hand on her small shoulder.

Right away, her and Monica's conversation during the day she picked that flashy, revealing gold dress out her wardrobe came to mind:

[*Flashback*]

"Speakin' of Jin, how did you 2 meet?"

"...I used to be a ward of the Mishima Zaibatsu for a few years. That's how Jin and I came across each other. Eventually, we ended up being friends." She frowned slightly. "But after that incident between him and his grandfather, I never really got to talk to him again." The young woman peered up at her Native American friend, her face growing pink. "...I...had a major crush on him while I was a ward. A-and I still hold some feelings for him."

Monica grinned.

"What? Get out! Why ain't you let him know how you really feel?"

Xiaoyu stared down at her feet and heaved a sigh.

[*End Flashback*]

"It's just that...you don't realize how much I like you, Jin," she confessed softly.

Maybe she can finally get his attention now that she told him how she really felt.

Jin could only gaze at her, totally unsure of what to say. He had a hunch she had had a small crush on him, but he did not know it was more than that.

"Oh, man. Xiaoyu...I had no clue you felt that strongly about me."

He examined her, a small part of his heart was touched at how emotional her face was. Her eyes were so child-like, pleading for an answer. His mind pondered over his feelings, but he could not find anything resembling a romantic interest in her. She was more like a younger sister than a potential girlfriend. He hated to tell her, yet it was better to tell the truth than falsely get her hopes up.

"Xiaoyu," he sighed, getting angry at himself for what he was about to say. "I'm sorry, but I only see you as a little sister and not some one I would be with. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but this is just the way I feel towards you."

The Chinese girl's large eyes welled up with tears and her bottom lip quivered. [a/n: Aaaww!] She shook her head as if he was bluffing, as if his response was simply a bad dream.

"No. You don't...mean that!" she cried. "Tell me you're joking!"

Jin's heart felt as if it was being stabbed with a thousand knives at the pitiful tone in her shaking voice.

"I'm telling you the truth, Xiaoyu. I can't force myself to have any affection for you, if none is there," he informed her with finality.

At this, the younger teenager's unshed tears spilled down her cheeks in rivulets. That was it. Jin did not have any affection for her besides friendship. He would never be hers and that hurt. It hurt more than if he had punched her in the face. Her small frame shook with silent sobs.

Again, feeling guilty and like an a**hole, Jin embraced the weeping girl. She clung to him as if he were her only foundation and let her sobs rock her body. He stroked her head and rocked her back and forth to comfort her, trying to ignore the inquisitive stares of some of the citizens that were out enjoying the day.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry Xiaoyu," he muttered.

Goodness, he felt like the biggest jerk in the world.

END CH. 3!


	8. Unexpected Love: Ch. 4A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dance, shopping and confession.

[a/n: I still can't get over how much swag this guy has lol. So suave!]

Ch. 4A

[3 days later...]

It was a boring, gloomy day of rain. The precipitation came pouring down mercilessly, showing no signs of letting up.

Monica stood staring out the window, her view obscured by the waterfall of raindrops running down the glass. She sighed and crossed her arms over her bosom. She disliked being stuck in the house on rainy days. It impelled her to do nothing but go to sleep.

"Jin," she sulked, still facing the window. "Why did it have to rain today? It makes the day seem so dull!"

He chuckled. "Well, the clouds just got too heavy with rain, so they had to let it out," he teased.

Monica shook her head and chortled. "OK, smart guy."

"What? You asked, so I gave you an answer."

She only smiled and continued gazing out the drenched window.

Jin sat on his recliner, thinking. If they had to stay inside for the rest of the evening (they had came home from work nearly an hour ago) then he might as well make it more lively. He turned the TV off and strolled over to his CD shelf to search for some slow music. Japanese music was OK, but he preferred for Monica to understand the lyrics. His eyes lit up once he came across Michael Jackson's Invincible CD.

He plucked it out and went to the stereo system to insert the disk. He turned up the volume to a moderate level and selected the Butterflies track. As the music began, the bass resounding throughout the room, Monica spun around in surprise.

"Is that...Butterflies, by MJ?!" she questioned curiously.

Jin sauntered leisurely over to her, grinning.

"Yes, it is. Didn't think we heard of him here in Japan?"

"Oh, no I wasn't thinkin' that. I just wasn't expecting you to play that. I loved this song!"

Jin nodded. "Good. So then, let's dance a little?"

He extended a hand to her, his grin glued to his lips.

At first, Monica was going to refuse, but changed her mind. She couldn't turn Jin down for a dance. She grabbed his hand, letting him tug her closer. They simply stared at each other for a moment, both of them blushing.

"...Well, let's not stand here and do nothing. We're supposed to dance, ne?" Jin spoke up, being the less shy one.

"Uh, right," giggled Monica.

Unlike his father, Jin danced the traditional slow-dance to the song. Monica was glad she didn't have to learn another dance move. She rested her head on his shoulder, arms encircle around his neck. His arms were wrapped around her waist, hands hovering above her bottom.

They danced silently, listening to the music flowing around the room. Jin's mind began to wander. Should he tell her that he was beginning to have feelings for her? What if he ended up making a fool of himself? He decided to keep his mouth shut to avoid the humiliation.

"I just want to touch and kiss, and I wish that I could be with you tonight... You give me butterflies... Inside, inside and I..."

The song's volume gradually decreased and came to an end.

They looked at each other, not sure what else to do. The room grew tensely quiet from the lack of music. The 2 kept gazing at each other for a few moments as if trying to read each other's thoughts.

'OK,' Jin breathed to himself. 'What should I do? I want to do something, but...she might get angry.'

Monica was trying to figure out what Jin was thinking. 'Hmm, what's the deal? Is he up to something? Why is he just starin' at me?'

Without anymore hesitation, the Japanese man cautiously began to close the distance between their lips. The young woman watched as her heart thudded in her chest. She couldn't believe her roommate was about to kiss her! She wouldn't mind but...there was Kazuya.

"Jin, no..." Monica quickly spoke up. "We...can't do this. We're roommates."

She stared at the floor, her face flushed.

The male nodded. Geez, he was so close.

"Hai, I guess you're right," he murmured. With a great deal of effort, he removed his hands. What was he thinking, getting caught up in the moment like that? Besides, she was already involved with some native. "I...better go train now. Sorry."

Monica released a breath she didn't realize she was holding and nodded.

"Um, yeah. I'll head down to the community center gym and get some exercise in. I'll catch you later."

"OK."

She jogged upstairs to get her change of clothes and purse. As Jin turned off the stereo system, he couldn't help but think that he only made things awkward between them for the rest of the day now.

Next day, Kazuya's limo...

"Do you always have to examine me like that?" Monica questioned, sounding flustered.

Kazuya laughed. "Well, you wearing those clothes is making matters worse."

The girl blushed, gazing down at herself.

"Hm. Something told me not to wear this shirt."

"No, it's fine. I'm glad you wore it...and the skirt too."

She smiled and crossed her arms over her breasts as if to hide them from his eyes. Her golden orbs scanned him.

"Y'know, I'm surprised we're going to the mall. We're gonna get you some casual clothing. No slacks..."

He rose an eyebrow. "Oh? I wonder what type of clothing you have in mind for me."

His date smirked. "You'll see."

*

Kazuya and Monica stepped out the Nissan, escorted by 2 bodyguards. Unknown to them and most of the passerby's a middle-aged man wearing a black trench coat filmed them, half-hidden within the crowd. He smirked once he spotted the young woman at Kazuya's side.

'So, it is true. Kazuya really is seeing an American. The boss is going to like this for sure!'

He kept his small camera on the pair as they trudged up the steps to the mall entrance.

'I wonder how on Earth these 2 met up.'

After they entered the building, the spy ceased filming and slipped away, a satisfied smile on his stubbed face.

"Ooohh...what's the name of this mall?" asked Monica in amazement. "I like it already."

"It's called the New Tokyo Mall. Glad you like it. I told you I prefer the best," gloated Kazuya as he adjusted his sunglasses.

"That's easy to remember. More of the names should be like that 'round here." She turned to him. "Where's the men's clothing stores at?"

Suddenly, the fighter appeared hesitant. "Ano..."

* *

"Come out here, Kazuya! Let me see how you look," ordered Monica gleefully.

"This is the youth's clothing, for heaven's sake! These don't belong on men my age, onna!" exclaimed the karate fighter. "I cannot believe I'm even trying this outfit on..."

Finally, he strolled out the fitting room, an expression between anger and irritation on his handsome face. Monica's jaw dropped. He looked so different! He had on baggy denim shorts and a Louis Vuitton tee. Father could almost pass for son, if it wasn't for his lack of bangs. [a/n: when I started writing about them going to the mall I couldnt help but wonder what he would look like dressed as the young guys lol]

Kazuya frowned, pulling at the shirt.

"It's name brand and all...but these clothes are a little too big, don't you think?"

Monica shook her head furiously. "No, no! They look fine. They're supposed to be fitting like that."

She studied him approvingly.

"Who could wear clothes so big?"

Ignoring him, the teen told him, "Turn around."

"What?"

"Just turn around, please."

With a grunt, the martial artist did a 180 degree turn.

"OK...so?"

Monica's smirk spread. Kazuya was actually "sagging" to an extent. It just wasn't as low like some of the guys around her hometown wore them [a/n: thank God!].

'Hmm, I wonder...'

She boldly walked up to him and lifted his shirt up to check out his rear. She was momentarily rewarded with an eyeful of the Japanese's sculpted bottom in silk paisley boxers, the rim of the designer jeans rested nearly halfway down.

The Ex-KOIF sensed his shirt being hoisted up and whirled around. A suspicious glare was in his dark eyes.

"What were you doing?"

She blushed faintly. "Uh...just making sure the pants fit."

He did not fall for her bluff. He swaggered a little closer to her, a cocky smirk plastered on his lips.

"No. Don't play around. What were you really doing?"

The teenager glanced in another direction.

"...OK, I was checkin' out your butt, aight? And it's a nice one."

"Honto?" he asked conceitedly. "I had a hunch that's what you were doing. But, thanks anyway." The man leaned to the side and got a glimpse of hers. "Yours is nice too."

With that, he slapped her behind lightly.

Monica jumped, her face turning even more red.

"Kazuya!" she squeaked, looking around to see who noticed.

A few men and an older lady chortled softly at the scene before quickly diverting their attention elsewhere.

"Nani?" he asked innocently. The male bent down and muttered naughtily, "Can't I touch it?"

The girl smiled coyly. "OK, umm....how 'bout you take that off and put your regular clothes on so we can check out some other stuff?"

He sent her a lingering gaze before striding back to the fitting room.

'I bet he gets a kick outta making me nervous!' thought Monica.

* *

After purchasing several outfits and footwear, Kazuya and Monica headed for the food court. The bodyguards each had a couple bags in their hands, looking like they were the ones who went shopping and not the pair.

"So, did you have fun, Kazuya?" questioned Monica, arm linked with his.

Kazuya strolled leisurely, hands in pockets. "It wasn't bad."

She scoffed and then frowned, noticing he still had on his glasses.

"Would you take those sunglasses off? You don't need 'em."

"I rather not..."

'Hmm, I guess he's going for the mysterious charm they give him,' mused the caramel-skinned female.

Presently, she spotted a couple young men well ahead, being loud and laughing. One of them had red, somewhat feathered hair. Upon focusing on his voice, she knew immediately who it was.

Meanwhile, the father of Jin discovered how intently she stared up ahead at something...or someone. He frowned and tried to follow her line of sight. Was she looking at one of the bodyguards? No, couldn't be. His frown deepened as she disentangled her arm from him absently, a smile spreading over her face.

"I see a friend of mine. Hold up for a minute, please?" she told him.

After he gave a half-hearted affirmative, she took off, his eyes trained on her back as she winded her way through the thin crowd. The 2 guards in front of him watched her for a quick moment, then glanced back at him for instructions. He shook his head to let them know to leave her be.

"Hwoarang! Hey, Hwoarang!" she cried enthusiastically.

The red-haired Korean quieted down, as did his buddy, and whirled around to identify who called him. His face lit up when he recognized his American friend.

"Hey, babe!"

He spread his trim, muscled arms out to her as she came jogging towards him. The girl threw her limbs around his waist in a big hug. He spun her around once before letting her go.

"Funny seeing you here!" she exclaimed, cuffing him on the chest.

He grinned. "Yeah, same here. Are you with somebody?"

"Yes, I am."

"Who? Kazama?"

She smiled slyly. "Nah. You're close enough though."

Hwoarang appeared skeptical.

"Who's your friend here? You gonna introduce us?" she continued, before looking at the lanky native boy that stood idly nearby.

"Oh, that's Hayato, one of the few guys I befriended here. He lives in the same building I do." He faced the other man, pulling Monica against him in a show of possession. "Hayato, this is the girl Monica I told ya about. Ain't she hot?"

Hayato nodded. "Oh, yes! Pleasure to meet you, Monica-san."

Aforementioned girl smiled and said, "Nice to meet you as well, Hayato!"

After acknowledging the thin man, Monica furrowed her brow at Hwoarang, her playfulness kicking in.

"What you doing, talkin' about me, Hwoarang?" She pretended she was angry with him and crossed her arms, turning away from him. "I don't like that," she falsely pouted.

He cackled and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Aaw, I'm sorry, babe," he replied, playing along.

Suddenly a clear, authoritative voice rang, "Bishoujo..."

The 3 snapped out their playful moods and looked up. Monica already knew who it was, but not the 2 men.

Hwoarang glowered up at the man wearing dark sunglasses. He was about 6 foot even with a muscled build, cloaked in light gray slacks and a black, short-sleeved button up. He looked like some stiff noble. A small frown was etched onto his lips.

No matter how much money he owned, he had no right to simply come up to them and call Monica "Bishoujo"! The redhead understood that term. This bastard was treading on dangerous ground.

"You got a prob, a**hole?" Hwoarang asked dangerously, lifting his head from Monica's shoulder to size the other guy up.

The demi-Native American's quiet, placating words were ignored.

The tall Japanese man rose an eyebrow sharply in mild surprise and insult. It then drew together with the other in a scowl.

"Yes, I do have a 'prob', boy!" he hissed. "Your arms are around my date!"

The younger man's mouth fell open. "What?!" He let go of Monica. "Monica...this guy is seeing you?!"

She spun around to face him. "Yeah...he is. I thought you figured it out once I said you were close enough."

"Oh, I see," he said, not sounding thrilled. His eyes fell on the older male. "Uh, sorry...Kazuya," he mumbled.

Hayato's eyes bulged. "Mr. Mishima!? Oh wow! Pleasure to finally meet you, sir!" he exclaimed in Japanese, bowing with respect.

Kazuya acknowledged him with a nod.

Hwoarang touched Monica's arm. "Can I talk to you for a few?"

She glanced back at Kazuya for approval. He didn't look happy, yet he reluctantly nodded.

"All right, let's go."

The Korean led her away till they were out of earshot. He whirled around on her, slight anger in his eyes.

"Yo, just tell me how and why you're into him of all people. I mean, I could understand Kazama, but...not his pops!"

The girl looked down, although she was a bit miffed he didn't think Kazuya was worth her affections.

"Well, he's a cutie #1. #2, he saved my life. And #3 he's been so nice to me. He's really a decent person once you get to know him. He also knows how to wine and dine a girl." She shifted her weight on one leg absently. "At first we had our disagreements, but ever since that night he saved me, we overcame our grudges and became friends. Now...we're dating."

Her redhead friend scoffed and looked away. "Oh, yeah? But you forgot one other reason why you're seein' him."

"Like what?"

"You like his money more than him."

Monica giggled. "Nah, I don't," she replied honestly. "In fact, that's not even important. I never ask him for anything! He just calls and picks me up. He's the one that told me I could get a few outfits today."

"Aight. So..." He gazed at her. "Does he like you or is it more of a physical thing?"

"I...think it's physical, right now anyway. We slept together once after some drinks and he asked me again a couple times, but I refused. Besides, I'm not some smut." Her face started getting warm. "But I'm surprised he bought me stuff today. He took me out to eat before, but never shopping. Maybe he's startin' to change?"

Hwoarang looked interested. "Who knows. I hope so, but...was it good?"

Monica scowled, red spreading across her face. "Hwoarang!"

He burst out laughing. "No, I'm kiddin'. But if he asked for it a few times again, you must have put it on him."

They both chuckled.

"Stop it!"

He ceased laughing, his expression growing serious. "Listen. If he hurts you...let me know, all right? I don't want you to be heart-broken."

Her heart was again touched by him.

"Aaaww..." She gave him an affectionate hug. "Don't worry, I will. Just...don't tell Jin I'm seeing Kazuya, OK?"

"Oh, sure. I almost forgot he and Kazama ain't close. Still, Kazuya's done nothin' to him that I know of. So, I don't understand how Jin doesn't like the man."

They let go of each other.

"True. Kazuya has no hard feelings against Jin. Maybe that Heihachi guy told Jin a bunch of lies about Kazuya."

"You might be right--"

"Excuse me. Mr. Mishima wishes to leave now, Ms. Monica," informed a bodyguard. "Please come with me."

He grabbed her arm, which Monica disliked.

"OK, OK! Just let me go! I want to say bye to my friend first, if you don't mind!"

"Sorry, but Mr. Mishima's orders..."

Kazuya observed the dispute, not liking how his guard was trying to pull Monica away. Before he could yell at the idiot guard, Hwoarang stepped up and landed a blow in the man's face. [a/n: lol, go Hwoarang!] He watched in amusement as the older man dropped to the floor. Ah yes, he nearly forgot Hwoarang was a participant in the last tournament. He just never bothered to pay much attention to the kid. At least he knew how to fend for himself, though he was a nuisance.

The guard got to his feet awkwardly, people staring at him humorously. Kazuya watched the boy slide into a defensive stance, a fearless look on his face. He decided to step in before there was a big scene. He strode over to the group, his other bodyguard following closely behind.

"You want some? Come get it," the taekwondo user snarled at the recovering guard. "The girl said she wasn't ready to go yet without sayin' goodbye!"

"Why you little—ack!"

The man was yoked back by the collar, by a sneering Kazuya.

Hwoarang noticed how the other fighter used only a little strength to spin the man around. He let go of the collar only to grip him up by the front of his dress shirt, lifting him several inches off the floor. Again, he used a small amount of strength.

"You call yourself a bodyguard? You couldn't even remain on your feet from the kid's punch!" he jeered in his native language. The karate fighter's face darkened from its temporary humor. "I told you to tell her I wanted to leave! You had no right to lay a finger on her, let alone pull on her arm like that! If she had to do something before she leaves, then let her...understood?!" he growled.

The frightened guard nodded feverishly. "Y-yes, sir!"

"Good. Now don't ever put your filthy hands on her again, or you'll be in a lot of pain!"

The Mishima released the man's shirt. The moment he landed on his feet, Kazuya shoved him aside with little effort. The bodyguard went stumbling—and almost falling—over to the other guard, who was awe-stricken by the display.

Kazuya fixed his tie calmly, then stared at the 2 friends. The expression on their faces was somewhat hilarious. Clearly, they were both shocked by his temper.

"Uh, sorry about that. I never told him to touch you," he apologized to Monica. "Are you ready to go?"

"...Yeah, I am," she replied softly. "Catch you later, Hwoarang," the girl told him over her shoulder.

"Um...see ya."

She sauntered to Kazuya's side to link her arm with his. The scarred man led her away, casting a smirk at the Korean, who was still too stunned to move. The guards warily tagged along behind the pair, exchanging apprehensive glances.

Hwoarang let out a sigh. Monica was really dating his arch rival's dad. How wild. Now he knew the chances of her accepting himself in the future were slim.

His new friend, Hayato came trotting over to him, looking impressed.

"Whoa, don't mess with Monica-san! If you mess with her, you're messing with Mishima-san. And that's one person I'd rather not take my chances with!"

The Korean gazed after the retreating couple.

"Yeah, I agree."

Monica stared admiringly at the attractive profile of Kazuya as they were driven home. He may not have directly saved her like Hwoarang, but he sure scared the wits out of his bodyguard for her.

Shortly, the martial artist felt her amber eyes boring into him. He faced her.

"What is it?"

She smiled coyly. "It's just that...I'm impressed by what you did today."

He frowned. "Oh, you mean handling that baka guard?"

She nodded in response.

"Well, he had no business laying a hand on you. I didn't give him permission to do that," he grumbled angrily, recalling the event. "He does it again, and he'll be in the nearest hospital for a week."

Monica's smile grew. She laid her sleek head on his shoulder.

"My hero," she cooed, playing with his tie.

He gazed down at her, studying her waist-length hair. He always liked the red-black tresses. They seemed to shine even in the dimmest of lighting. Gingerly, he raised a hand and started to stroke her hair. It was so silky to the touch.

The girl sighed, snuggling up to him and savored the sensation of his gentle caresses. The movement sent a different feeling coursing through him. He actually...was starting to like her now? Not just for her body, sex or looks, but her as a person. He wasn't there with her as he had been with Jun, however. He did not love the young girl. She still had a test to pass, plus his heart was not one to warm up quickly.

They stayed that way in silence for another 10 minutes, the American practically dozing off.

"Bishoujo..." he began slowly, stopping his strokes. "I...believe my affections for you have grown more sincere."

She blinked up at him. "Huh? You have feelings for me?"

"Yeah," he answered in a low voice, averting his eyes.

"So, you admit that you had only liked me for physical attributes?"

There was a hint of anger in her tone, but she already suspected as much.

He winced inwardly.

"Yes... At least the first couple times we got together. But today, that all changed."

The softness and sincerity of his voice kept her temper in check.

"Y'know, I'm not that naive, Kazuya. I had a hunch you did because you always tried to get me to have sex with you. And...your eyes. They never showed any affection when you stared at me, only lust."

He nodded solemnly. "Right...you're not a totally innocent person. I can tell you been through some things. So, you're not that naive. I just thought maybe you wouldn't mind having sex and that we both would get something out of it."

She only gazed at him thoughtfully then settled back against the seat, crossing her arms.

"Hmm.."

He let out a heavy sigh and looked out the window. He had a gut feeling she didn't want to be around him any longer tonight.

"We're heading to your house."

She bit her bottom lip, debating on whether she should go home or stay with him. On 1 hand, he confessed to only wanting her body, and on the other he admitted to finally having some feelings for her.

Monica sneaked a quick peak at his mysterious eyes. They were different, no longer stoic or smug. Instead, they held a mixture of guilt and remorse. OK...he was telling the truth. Had he truly only liked her for her body, then they would've had that cold, callous glint in them. Her emotions would not have had any effect on him. Kazuya was far from the mushy, emotional type. His neglected childhood had killed that side. He was a man of pride, a painful past, hatred, vengeance and ire. The reason why he was so prideful was because pride was all he had left after being treated so badly for so long. Yet, with a little tender love, care and patience, he could be molded into a fairer image. Not one that exactly mimicked an ordinary man, but was capable of kindness, love and forgiveness.

The teenager bowed her head in thought.

To Be Continued...


	9. Unexpected Love: Ch. 4B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens!

_Next day..._ [the plot thickens, finally]

"Mr. Mishima...Sage is here to speak with you. He claims he wants to show you something about your son," reported a tall, lean woman.

She stopped a few feet in front of the cherry oak desk and stared at the back of the leather chair. The occupant's face couldn't be seen, but he was interested about his son; love wasn't involved. His son had something he needed to accomplish his evil plans. The man lowered his head, crossing his fingers together.

"Fine," he uttered in Japanese. "Send him in."

"Yes, sir!"

The woman strolled out the office to retrieve his visitor.

A minute later, the doors opened and Sage strolled inside, equipped with his prize.

"Mr. Mishima...I have a tape here that you would certainly be happy to see."

The man, Heihachi, spun around in his seat. He was an older man in his early 70's, with gray hair that stuck straight up on either side of his balding head. No smile was on his slightly wrinkled face, but a curious glint flickered in his dull eyes.

"You have my undivided attention."

Sage nodded. "Yes...uh, it turned out that I had some luck yesterday. A friend of mine had tipped me off about spotting Kazuya's limo heading to the New Tokyo Mall area. I filmed him on this tape."

"Very good, Sage. Just a moment..." Heihachi pressed a button on his office phone. "Subaru, bring in the video projector."

After a couple minutes, the tall thin woman re-entered the room with the projector. She pushed a switch near the door, bringing down a projection screen, before pushing the projector on a cart in front of Heihachi's desk. She then exited the room.

Sage inserted the video tape and pressed play. Instantly, an image of Kazuya emerging from his limo flashed on the screen. His sunglasses hid his eyes.

A cold smirk made its way on the old man's lips. At last, he was able to see his son. After the tournament, Kazuya was able to slip away from the medical room and disappear. No one had heard of nor seen him until nearly 2 months ago, at a small tournament.

"Ah, yes...there's the coward," he sneered. "Do you know what license plate his limo has?"

"Yes, sir. It's his initials...M-K."

The elderly man chuckled evilly. "Excellent..."

His eyes swept back to the screen. A young, brown-skinned woman was following Kazuya, the both of them escorted by a couple bodyguards. She appeared very curious of her surroundings. Kazuya stopped and called to her...but with all the noise, Heihachi could not make out her name.

He stood up, focusing intently on the woman. When did Kazuya start showing up in public with a female? That was a rare occurrence. There must be something about this one that caught his interest.

"And who is this?"

Sage smiled mischievously. "That's the American that Kazuya is dating. I don't know her name."

Heihachi's gray, bushy eyebrows rose. "An American? I'd never think the boy would be interested in an American." He frowned. "They're so foolish..."

Still, he couldn't help but admire her body. The Japanese women didn't have curves like that. They weren't so voluptuous. She didn't have a modelesque build, but she was in shape. Her face was moderately attractive as well. At least his son had good tastes, even with foreigners.

"She's easy on the eyes, however."

A different plan popped into his brain. Rather than track Kazuya down, he could flush him out of hiding.

"Sage...I want you to keep track of the girl instead. She may be of much assistance to my plans."

His smirk morphed into a heinous grin as he observed the pair climb the steps and enter the mall.

*

2 days later...

"Xiaoyu, you're actually leaving me?!" Monica exclaimed in disbelief. Once Xiaoyu leaves, her only real friends would be Hwoarang, Kazuya and Jin. The few others she talked to were just associates.

Xiaoyu sighed. "Yes, Monica," replied the girl sadly. "It's time for me to head back. My aunt is missing me like crazy."

"Oh...I see. So, when are you tryin' to go?"

"In a half hour. My relatives are almost ready to leave now...I better get off this phone."

"Aaw, Xiaoyu! I'm gonna miss your hyper self!"

"Haha! Yeah, I'll miss you too! When Jin gets in, tell him I said goodbye, OK?"

"I sure will. Too bad you couldn't call me earlier. We could've done something together before you left."

"I know. My aunt had called me almost 2 hours ago, so I was totally off guard. Well...so long, Monica. Nice knowing ya."

Her long-haired friend heaved a sigh. "Maybe we'll come across each other someday, if I come back to Tokyo."

"Right! That'll be cool. Bye-bye..."

"Bye, Xiaoyu."

They hung up. Monica frowned. Her only female friend was leaving...and she probably won't be seeing her for a long time. That sucked.

She lied back on the sofa, gazing up at the ceiling. Now would be a good time for Kazuya or Hwoarang to call. The Chinese girl's departure made her feel so lonely. But since she had been exercising, her body felt exhausted and a little sore. Sleep was beckoning to her.

Monica pushed herself off the sofa and trudged up the stairs to take a refreshing shower. Unfortunately, she didn't have time for any naps.

* *

Rrriiiinnng! Rrrriiiinnng!

Jin got off the recliner to answer the phone.

"Moshi-moshi?"

There was silence at first before a confident voice answered, "Kazama? Didn't expect your a** to answer the phone."

Jin rolled his eyes. "Oh, Hwoarang. You know...this is my house you called, silly. Or didn't you realize that?"

The Korean scoffed. "So, he had a comeback this time. Once again, you surprise me, Kazama."

"OK, what do you want?"

"No one else, but the hottest babe in Tokyo...Monica," he answered smugly.

"Oh, well too bad. The 'hottest babe' is in the shower right now."

Hwoarang fell silent. "...D***, she's in the shower though?" He blew a whistle. "Why couldn't I be over there while she did that?"

Again, Jin rolled his eyes and shook his head. This guy was a trip.

"You better not have peeked at her, Kazama, or I'll personally come over and kick your a**. Got it?" the boy continued, half-serious.

Now, Jin scoffed. "Yeah, sure," he said sarcastically. "Anyway, you got a message for her?"

"Why yes, I do. Tell her to meet me at the spot no later than 6:30. She'll know what place I'm talkin' about."

"All right. I'm going to hang up now, if there's nothing else you need to say."

"Oh, wait. I do got something to say."

Jin smirked. "And what's that?"

"I'm gonna kick your a**."

The Japanese let out a sigh between a sigh and a laugh. "Right. Good bye, Hwoarang."

Hwoarang chortled softly. "Aight, man."

Jin hung up and smirked to himself. His rival may be annoying, but he was funny. At least they weren't on bad terms anymore. The son of Kazuya settled back down on his recliner, and found himself thinking of the childish Xiaoyu. He noticed how she no longer contacted him after that day she spilled her confession to him. Did he break her heart that badly?

A pang of guilt shot through his gut. Maybe he should've been a little less direct...but still, he just was not attracted to her like that. Only 2 people really held his attention: Monica and Julia. Feh...he might be wasting his time. Julia probably won't be coming back and he wasn't sure if she was truly attracted to him or not. He could tell Monica was attracted to him, yet she never showed any serious interest. A frown made its way on his face. He'd like to punch her secret date in the nose, taking her away from him. Then again, it was her decision. If she only wished to be friends, then he'd deal with it. He was not that sensitive.

He cast his musings to the back of his head and focused on the talk show on TV. About an hour later, Monica came sauntering down the steps. She greeted Jin with a smile.

"Hey! I heard you talkin' away on the phone while I was in the bathroom. Anybody for me?"

"Well, yes it was Hwoarang," the young man replied with an eye roll.

A grin appeared on her face. "Oh, really? What he say?"

"He said for you to meet him at the spot—wherever that is—no later than 6:30."

"Ooohh. Good, I'm glad one of them called."

Jin's dark eyebrows rose. "One of them? Who's the other, if you don't mind me asking?"

Like she did with Hwoarang, she smiled as if she had something up her sleeves.

"You'll find out soon enough maybe. But..." she said, checking her watch. "I gotta get goin' now. It's almost 5:40..."

Jin scowled, observing her head for the door.

"You are always keeping secrets with this guy...whoever he is. Is he that much of a secret that I can't even know his name?"

Monica paused, gazing at him over her shoulder.

"Eh...yeah he is. If I—when he's ready to meet with ya, you'll see who he is."

The Japanese caught the disturbed reflection in her eyes.

"Monica, is everything all right? This dude's not causing any problems, is he?"

She smiled reassuringly. "No, everything's cool. I just hope you 2 get along. Aight, later Jin."

"See ya..."

With a playful, coy wave, Monica trotted out the door.

Jin remained staring after her, wondering who the secret date was, and why she was so unsure if they would get along? Perhaps it was someone employed by the Zaibatsu? He couldn't wait to meet him...

* *

"So, what do you think?" questioned Hwoarang, strutting into the cozy living room. "Not bad, eh?"

The brown-skinned female nodded her approval, glancing around at her friend's apartment.

"No, not bad at all. Looks kinda modern to me."

It wasn't spacious, but it had a nice view, was clean with sturdy furniture and was recently renovated.

"Thanks. And I have no sneaky roommate to worry about. That's the best part!" he pointed out.

The girl shook her head. "Not all roommates are sneaky, y'know."

"Yeah, yeah. That's what you think, babe. I bet Kazama goes in your room and steals a pair of thongs sometimes, when you're not in."

Monica laughed. She could not picture Jin doing that.

"Oh, don't knock Jin. He's a sweetheart."

He smirked. "Yeah, on the outside. Down under, he's a snake."

The redhead plopped down onto the cream-colored sofa.

"Come sit down. I won't bite...without your permission."

She smiled and made her way over to where he sat. Hwoarang took advantage of the view of her behind and smirked again, as she sat down.

"So," he began casually. "How's Kazuya?"

She stared at him for a moment, mildly astounded that he bothered asking about him.

"Um, he's aight I guess. Last time I was with him was 3 days ago."

"Oh. He treatin' you good?"

"Yes. Always does. If he didn't I sure wouldn't be seeing him anymore."

"He better be. I don't quite trust the guy," Hwoarang remarked dryly.

"Why?"

Her friend looked away from her, frowning.

"Just the simple fact that he's a Mishima and he turned on his dad. Dropped him over a cliff after they fought in the 1st tournament, at least that's what I heard. That's why Heihachi got him back by tossing him into a volcano! Don't ask me how either of them survived that! But I heard about Kazuya having this 'dark side'."

Monica's eyes narrowed. "Wait. You're sayin' Kazuya was dropped into a-a volcano and...lived?!"

"Yeah. Didn't tell you that, did he? I don't blame him. That would sound really strange."

The half Native American furrowed her brow in confusion. He actually survived a volcano? There's no way. Perhaps it was all just a big rumor. No one could survive being tossed in hot lava. They would literally burn to death in a few seconds. Or was Kazuya not telling her something? Did she even want to know? And what about this 'dark side', whatever that meant?

She rubbed her temples. There were just too many questions running through her head and she could wind up with a headache.

Hwoarang noticed her stress. "Monica? You all right?"

She glanced at him. "Uh, yeah. I'll be OK. Just so...bewildered about all this."

"Hey, look...the Mishima's, including Jin, had a f***** up past. Who knows? The stuff I heard might be a bunch of lies."

The girl ran her fingers through her thick hair. "I sure hope so," she mumbled.

* * *

The next day...

Kazuya and Monica sat lying on his bed together as she played with his hair. She occasionally fed both herself and the karate fighter some grapes from a nearby bowl on the nightstand. [a/n: nope, they did not have sex this time!] His eyes were half-lidded and a small smile was glued to his lips as he savored the pleasurable sensations on his scalp, barely paying heed to the movie. Had he been a cat, he'd certainly be purring right now. With the adolescent serving as his human pillow, full breasts cushioning his head with his body in between her toned, semi-thick legs...he was in no hurry to go to the museum he had planned to take her to later.

Monica, meanwhile, was in deep thought about the resurrection and 'dark side' issue. She secretly scanned the skin revealed by his tank top for any burn scars, but found none. The volcano story couldn't be true then—could it? However, the 'dark side' problem was another thing. Should she bother asking about such rumors? Before she could open her mouth, a knock sounded at the bedroom door.

Kazuya let out an exasperated sigh.

"I thought I told this fool not to disturb me!" he growled irritably, agitated that he had to leave the sanctuary of the young woman's body.

His girlfriend sniggered and let him up.

The male ambled over to the door and flung it open forcefully.

"What do you want?!" he snarled. "If it is unimportant, you'll find yourself sprawled on the floor. You have 5 seconds."

His dark, piercing eyes narrowed into slits.

"Y-yes, sir. Uh, there's a visitor here to speak with you. He says it's urgent," the pudgy servant informed meekly.

The Mishima's rage gradually drained away. Suspicion replaced it.

"What? A visitor? Did he tell you anything else?"

"When I asked him how he knows you, he said he was a relative."

The taller man's eyebrows rose. Could this visitor be his son? And if so, how did he find out where he lived? Did Monica tell him? Kazuya cast a puzzled glance at the dark American, then turned back to the silent butler.

"Very well. I'll be down in a minute."

The servant bowed then briskly walked away. Kazuya spun around and walked over to the girl.

"Bishoujo...you might want to join me downstairs. I think my son is here."

Monica's heart leaped to her throat.

"Huh? Jin?! It can't be Jin, I didn't tell him anything!"

"Calm down, onna," Kazuya ordered good-naturedly. "You have nothing to worry about. If anything, he'll take his anger out on me, not you. And that's something I can handle."

She nodded, visibly relaxing.

"Koi," he said, taking her hand. "We'll see what he wants first."

They gingerly made their way down the steps into the guest room, wondering why in the world Jin was there. In the room, the butler awaited, but no one else was present.

"Where is he?" asked Kazuya.

"He's waiting on the porch, sir. I didn't quite trust him, so I decided to let you verify his claim."

Kazuya nodded. At least the man was smart. He told Monica to stay put before warily strolling to the door and opening it. He was ready for any type of attack, if necessary. His mouth fell ajar upon recognizing the visitor. It was not Jin....it was his foster brother, Lee! Not wanting to let his brother see him surprised, he covered it up instantly with an unimpressed look.

"You. What are you doing here?" he questioned flatly.

The tall, slender man smirked.

"I'm happy to see you too, Kazuya." His visage became a little more solemn. "I have to tell you about father, as well as something I saw on a tape."

Kazuya's eyes narrowed. "Don't come here playing games with my mind, Lee," he sneered.

"No, this is no game, Kazuya. You must trust me."

The other man stood studying him. There was no smirk or false emotion in Lee's eyes. He was serious.

"All right. You have my trust..."

His guest nodded then tried to look past Kazuya into the house.

"May I come in?"

The scarred man hesitated but stepped aside. Lee entered the home, eyes surveying the room. They landed first on the servant, whom he believed greeted him at the door. He frowned slightly then acknowledged the other person. It was a young woman with very tan skin, rich golden eyes and long, black hair. She was hot, Japanese or not.

The frown marring his face turned upside down, his eyes venturing over her for a brief moment. So...this is the girl from the recording he had watched. Shocking that Kazuya snagged such a woman, he usually went for other Asians.

Monica was totally relieved it wasn't Jin. The man's silvery locks caught her attention. Not only that, but he was very attractive. She couldn't keep herself from staring at him and smiling.

'God, he can be one of those super models in the magazines!' she thought silently.

Kazuya shut the door firmly, getting Lee's attention.

"I see you have company, brother," Lee observed, glancing at his foster-sibling. "A little young, though. What's her name?"

The Ex-KOIF strutted to his brother's side and crossed his arms, still not appearing happy.

"Monica."

"Ooh," he responded, walking away from Kazuya toward the hypnotized girl. "Monica, what a pleasure it is to meet you," greeted Lee, switching over to English. "I am Lee Chaolan."

He grabbed her hand, leaned down and kissed it gently.

"O-OK...nice to meet you too, Mr. Chaolan," she replied softly, a coy blush coloring her cheeks.

Boy, he had a charming, addictive personality.

The butler snorted at the scene and rolled his eyes, before exiting the room.

Kazuya rose an eyebrow at their still conjoined hands.

"Well, have a seat so we can get down to business."

"Fine."

Lee released the shy girl's hand, then sat down on the loveseat. If Kazuya wasn't serious about the foreigner, he'd gladly take her off his hands. Saving the idea for after the more important stuff, he gestured for Monica to sit next to him. Kazuya observed her grin before obliging in a stupor. He scowled at the womanizer.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or what?" he pressed, sitting in a chair.

Lee turned to face him. "Uh, yes. But first, tell me how you met this girl? I saw her before. She's American, is she not?" he asked, rubbing his chin. "This one is especially sexy. It's about time you tried other types of women, Kazuya..."

That got on Kazuya's nerves. His hands clenched, his lips were tightly set and his body went rigid with anger.

"Idiot!" he exploded. "You're stalling! I did not invite you in for small chit-chat! Now you are going to tell me what the hell is going on with my father or else you're getting off my property!"

His outburst scared the both of them straight.

"Bishoujo..." he continued, sounding much less threatening. "Please leave us. I'm afraid you're distracting him from our...important discussion."

Monica didn't complain. She nodded and strode hurriedly out the room. As she left, Kazuya's eyes were fixated on his brother, a hostile light in his irises. His negative attention forced Lee to refrain from watching the voluptuous girl walk out.

"Now..." he began, reverting to Japanese. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

Lee cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Um, right. I've got my connections within the Zaibatsu. I received a tip from an informant that father has this plan to make himself the most powerful being alive."

Kazuya's eyes narrowed. "And how does the old man plan on doing that?"

Lee's face grew increasingly grave. "He's going to accomplish this by splicing his genes with Ogre's. His science team managed to gather Ogre's genes from hoof fragments they had found after the creature's disappearance." He looked away. "Father had tried this before, but he realized he needed something from you, Kazuya. And that's the devil gene. The gene is the missing link of the plan. It can allow father's genes to be compatible with Ogre's." His eyes returned to his brother. "Right now Tekken spies are keeping an out look for you. Once they find you they plan to abduct you and extract your devil gene." His brow furrowed with contemplation. "There was talk about a different method of luring you from hiding, but I'm not totally sure what it is. I just thought I would warn you."

The dark-haired martial artist seemed more disgusted than anything else. His father was one ruthless, demented bastard. And people think highly of him? If they only knew the real Heihachi... He sensed the demon inside become more and more restless from the information. This time he wasn't sure he could suppress it. He bowed his head and closed his eyes to attempt to mentally retain control over his body.

"Heihachi simply refuses to give up. He nearly killed me that time he cast you into the volcano," Devil hissed in Kazuya's mind. "Now he wants to use me for his own empowerment? I cannot allow this..."

'Fall back, demon. He has no idea where I am exactly,' replied Kazuya firmly, trying to push him back down into the recesses of his head. 'Now return to your dormancy.'

"No! This involves me, Kazuya. I will not sit back and watch the events unfold!"

Lee stood up and pulled out a DVD disk from his small briefcase bag slung over his shoulder. He walked over to his brother to hand it to him, unaware of the internal battle occurring.

"Here, Kazuya. This DVD has something on it that you really should see...you're on there."

Aforementioned man slowly raised his head, eyes still closed. His hand grasped the disk just as his eyes snapped open. They were now a bright red. Lee gasped and retreated a few steps.

"Thank you, Lee. You have been of great help. Now I know to look out for Heihachi. It will not be an easy task for the old timer to accomplish," came an extremely deep and evil voice that couldn't belong to the body from which it came.

'Kazuya' stood up leisurely, a smirk forming on his face.

"That fool does not know the extent of my power. He shall die by my hands before he has the chance to use me for his world conquest." His hand rose in front of him and balled gracefully into a fist to add emphasis as he spoke, "I refuse to be poked and prodded by experiments."

Lee only blinked, apprehension filling his eyes.

"Wh-who are you?"

'Kazuya' lowered his fist, tilting his chin up to gaze down on him past his nose. "I am what you people refer to as a devil. So, if there is nothing else you have to tell me, you are dismissed."

He strolled over to the door and opened it, not looking at the other man.

The silver-haired fighter warily stepped out the door, eyes never leaving the strange being that inhabited his brother's body. He stopped and turned around to fully face him.

"Listen, devil...you let my brother have his body back! You have no right to possess something that's not your own!"

An actual growl rumbled deep within Devil-Kazuya's chest. A stark frown appeared on his countenance. His carbuncle eyes seemed to intensify.

"Silence, human!" he retorted. "You are in no position to order me around! Only Kazuya has such leeway...and even he does not always get what he wants!" He took a step forward. "Be gone!"

At that moment, his eyes flashed a fluorescent pink. Instantaneously, Lee felt an invisible, yet powerful force push him violently off the porch. He went sailing through the air before tumbling down across the lawn.

The chauffeur waiting in the fancy car observed the spectacle in utter shock.

Lee scrambled to his feet, eyes wide in surprise and fear as he stood looking at the body of his brother. He briefly thought about the innocent girl inside the house, but instinctively knew this evil spirit would not harm her. Especially not without Kazuya's permission. He noticed how his aloof sibling actually was starting to show jealous behavior, regardless of how he made it seem like himself was simply annoying him...ergo, the cute foreigner should be fine on her own. Lee knew he better vacate the premises before the creepy devil attacked again.

Wasting no time, the fair-haired male dashed to the car and got in, ordering the driver to get them out of there.

Devil-Kazuya watched them go, the tires screeching wildly as they rushed down the driveway and off the property. He chuckled wickedly. Humans were fun to scare.

He closed the door and ambled back into the guest room, studying the thin DVD in his hand. This disk was Kazuya's problem, not his. He then paused, recalling the young American waiting in the living room. He smirked mischievously. The female sparked lustful ideas in his mind. Everything Kazuya experienced, Devil did as well, unless he was in a state of dormancy. He clearly remembered the times they had sex and the time his host went down on her. Not only did she feel better than nearly all of the others, she tasted clean! Just like that pesky Kazama woman. His tongue absently ran over his top lip. Hell, the teen even possessed real curves also. Those others may have been pretty, but they were so fragile in his opinion.

Growling low in desire, he started to go con her into sleeping with him, when he felt Kazuya tighten the reigns. He grunted and clasped the arm of a nearby couch to steady himself.

"Kazuya, what are you doing?!" Devil demanded.

'What does it look like, idiot?! I'm getting you under control!'

"Hmph. It's nothing you have not thought about since the moment you had her in the bedroom. Do not play the chivalrous man with me, Kazuya!"

The jab made the Mishima pause in his subjugation efforts, but choosing to say nothing to correct the spirit, he shortly gained the upper hand.

'You're not going to defile her, demon,' Kazuya continued with finality.

The struggle ended and the karate fighter was back in control. He panted lightly, gazing at the sparks crawling over his body. After they were gone, he got off his knee and retrieved the DVD he had dropped during his and Devil's fighting.

So, there was footage of him on this disk? He wondered who taped him.

He composed himself and swaggered into the living room where the unsuspecting Monica sat watching TV. Her attention fell on him, eyes looking concerned.

"Is everything aight?"

He nodded. "As of now, yes. I just have to watch my back." He held the disk up for her to see. "This DVD has something on it that is about me. I'm guessing a spy was hiding somewhere and filmed me."

Monica ran a hand through her ebony locks. Now she seemed worried.

"Does this have to do with your dad by any chance?"

He sighed. "Yes, indirectly. He's after me, yet he doesn't know where I live."

The girl groaned. "What is the reason of him searching for you all of a sudden?"

Kazuya frowned. "It's a long and complicated story." He studied her. "You'll find out in due time."

"When he finds you?!"

"No. I mean I'll show you why in the future."

Monica wasn't quite sure what he meant by 'show' but decided to let it go.

"OK. Let's see what's on the disk."

The Mishima went to the DVD player and inserted the disk. He pressed the play button and immediately a scene of lots of citizens came on the screen. Kazuya sat down in a chair and folded his arms, eyes never straying from the television. The camera focused on a tall man in a black button up with dark sunglasses. He turned and helped a young dark-skinned woman out the limo. The fighter's eyes narrowed in suspicion, then broadened. Sure enough, the couple was himself and Monica the day they went shopping! He couldn't believe a spy was filming him on that day.

He heard Monica gasp and exclaim, "Oh my goodness! Those people actually spied on us!"

Great, just great. Someone finally came across him.

The dark-haired male pounded his fist on the chair's arm in anger. If only he kept his guard up and stayed out of open places... He pondered and realized that none of these problems began until after he became closer to Monica. He started going out to public places more often and thus exposed himself. To an extent, it was her fault!

"It's almost like I can't even leave this area of town now. Those yaro are keeping an eye out for me!" he growled.

Monica walked over to his chair and placed her hands on his strong shoulders, lightly massaging them to calm him down.

"Don't let them get you worked up. We just have to play it safe."

At first he found himself softening under her ministrations, before he started thinking of how he got caught on film. The frown on his lips deepened and he bristled at her touch. She was the main reason the Tekken force managed to spy on him! Suddenly, he was enraged at her. He wanted her to get away. To be out of his sight.

With a grunt, he shrugged those damnably calming hands of hers off.

"Kazuya--"

"Quiet, onna!" he interrupted harshly. [a/n: here we go!]

She appeared insulted, but let him say what he had to.

He stood up, dark orbs taking on the cold glare.

"I noticed that the Tekken force hasn't been able to come across me until I started being around you! You are the cause of all this...this s***!" He began walking away from her. "There were times where I stopped and thought if it was such a good idea to get involved with you. I figured it was, especially since you were so much like Jun." His eyes softened just a bit at the name.

"Jun? You mean...Jin's mom?"

"Yes. When no one else cared about me, Jun was there. She somehow changed me from what I used to be." He looked down. "Jun was a caring, genuine and strong-willed woman. But she was shy, like you..." The man shook his head dismissively and returned his glare on her, reaching for his mobile phone. "At any rate, it's time for you to get going. I believe we shouldn't see each other anymore," he sneered, calling a number on his device.

Monica felt a stab of emotional pain. He really didn't want to see her again? But she had no idea his crazy father was after him...

"Kazuya, please stop actin' like this! You're overreacting!"

The fighter finished up the short conversation with someone and then hung up, setting the small phone onto a nearby table.

"...Overreacting? No, I don't think so, onna. This is for my own good. Maybe you should start dating my son...or even the Korean."

The teenager stood silently, not believing what she was hearing.

"You know, my son looks an awful lot like me. So when he's f****** you, you can pretend it's me."

That did it. The young woman swiftly stormed over to him and slapped him square across the jaw with as much strength she could summon. [a/n: get him, get him! Lol]

Kazuya, not expecting her to react that way, caught the full impact. His head snapped to the side. Had he been an ordinary man, he would've went reeling back from the blow. Still feeling hot fury burning in her chest, the 19 year old swung at him again with her opposite hand. Unfortunately, he was ready this time, and was able to seize her wrist tightly before her open hand made contact. A snarl was plastered on his lips.

Despite the ire he was feeling, he couldn't help but admire her. She possessed that hidden fire. The girl didn't take s*** from anybody—not even someone like him. Even though he could break her jaw or snap her graceful neck, she struck him. He was secretly turned on by that rare aggression of hers.

"Don't you ever f****** hit me again!" he yelled.

She struggled in his grasp.

"Let go of me, mé'ánęstse! I said let go!"

He yanked her closer, watching her continue to strive to free herself. He didn't know that secondary language of hers (Cheyenne, was it?), but he could guess it was some insult. The snarl was replaced by a cold-hearted smirk.

"Do you know how easy it is for me to seriously injure you...or even kill you?" he whispered threateningly.

Deep down, he would never attempt such an act, but he wanted her to know who she was dealing with. He wanted her to know who had the authority.

As expected, she did not answer, only kept struggling.

Monica was beginning to feel so small and weak. Helpless even. She hated feeling this way. It was a humiliating and somewhat frightful sensation. Very soon her eyes lost some of their fierceness as tears started to form in them. She wanted to cry, yet she didn't wish for Kazuya to see her tears.

Before the girl realized it, Kazuya bent and kissed her hard on the mouth, earning a grunt of surprise and discomfort. Part of him still wanted her only for himself. He wanted to claim her on the sofa over and over. He wanted to hear her cry out in that tribal language of hers until her voice was hoarse. He wished to possessively hold her in his arms and never release her to that Korean kid or even his son. This modest, coy, young spitfire was a diamond in the rough and a reminder of his beloved Jun. But he had to do what was necessary. She had to go.

He soon pulled away from those lips he'd grown to love since he first tasted them and told her:

"Anikki should be waiting outside. Now get out."

He let her wrist go, his handsome face revealing no emotion. She stared at him in a mix of hurt and anger, then sprinted out the room. A single tear streaked down her cheek as she bolted to the door, never looking back.

[a/n: gotta love that drama!]

To Be Continued...


	10. Unexpected Love: Ch. 4C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Break up to make up...

Jin sat up on the recliner, hearing the door shut. He saw Monica come trudging into the living room and smiled. His smile lessened once he discovered her posture. She seemed...weary.

"What's up?" he greeted, trying not to sound concerned. "Had too much fun today? You look tired."

Monica stood staring at him. Oh, Jin...her sweetheart roommate. He was so good to her. They never argued. She hardly ever hung out with him outside the house anymore and left him alone. Well...most of the time he was working anyhow. He was a loner through and through, so most likely her leaving didn't bother him much. She felt like she could talk to him about anything and he wouldn't judge her. All she need was to be held. To be comforted.

The young woman took her sneakers off.

"Jin, you don't know the half of it," she sighed sadly.

Her roommate blinked and studied her. With the dim lighting it was difficult to read her expression. One thing was certain, she didn't look happy.

"Monica, are you all right?"

"It's about...him."

"You mean that secret guy you're seeing?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Something told him this guy would do something to her. He wanted to beat the snot out of this person.

"...Yeah."

Her voice started to falter.

"What did he do?"

She shook her head, eyes wet with unshed tears.

"Just...hold me, Jin. I don't wanna talk about it."

The American walked over to him and climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck like a child. He clamped his mouth shut and embraced her, feeling her body tremble with silent sobs. His heart wrenched at how broken she was over the jerk. Monica was a good person, she didn't deserve this treatment. His protective instincts for the weaker sex kicked in and he held her tighter, stroking her hair as she cried.

"It's OK, Monica. I'm here for you..." he told her softly.

He kissed her cheek then her forehead. He wanted to make her feel better.

The dark teen quieted down and lifted her head to look at him, vulnerability shining in her orbs. He generally looked like Kazuya, yet he was nothing like him. His eyes were gentle and warm. Of course, he had his ups and downs in the past, but unlike his father, he had a loving childhood. That was, at least until his grandfather betrayed him. She couldn't believe Heihachi turned on this kind, honorable man.

Currently, Jin wiped the tears from her cheeks, only to plant a soft kiss on her lips. She pulled away.

"Jin, what--"

He put a finger over her lips.

"Shhh...don't talk."

His hands cupped her face and he brought her lips back to his, this time deepening the kiss. He was so gentle with her, kissing her slowly and deeply. She became completely entranced, a warmth spreading throughout her body.

His fingers traveled up her face to her hair, where they massaged her scalp. The 2 kept kissing for a few minutes until Jin broke it off to push the recliner's lever and level the chair out. Not missing a beat, he flipped her underneath him and resumed the kiss with renewed vigor, earning a croon from Monica. His fingers skimmed over her skin and under her snug shirt. Goodness, the girl's skin was so hot. He could feel her hands roaming over his broad back as his traveled up her abdomen to grasp her round breasts.

Not too long after, Jin was almost painfully aroused, yet he vaguely thought about what they were doing. She was in pain because of her 'boyfriend' and came to him for comfort not...sex. She was in a vulnerable state of mind so the last thing he wanted was for her to wake up in his bed, upset at what she allowed him to do. That would throw their smooth relationship out the window. He really wanted to keep going, but these were not normal circumstances. Besides, the girl was highly prudent with her sex life—a further testament that she wasn't herself at the moment.

The fighter stopped kissing her and pushed himself up.

"I...can't, Monica," he breathed.

She pulled him back down and arched against him, large bosom pressing enticingly into his chest. The female was so hot in her pants, she wanted him. She needed to feel desirable so that the rejection from Kazuya would be forgotten.

"Jin, please," she rasped. "I need you. We can do this just for tonight... It never has to happen again."

The Japanese quivered at her sultry words, the ache below his waist growing.

"N-no. You're not in the right state of mind right now..."

She sighed in defeat and disappointment. When he started to get off the chair, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. He gazed at her expectantly.

"No, don't leave. Can you at least...hold me, Jin?"

He hesitated but lowered himself down onto her, enveloping her in his muscled arms. She smiled, letting a tear fall from her eye. Thank God for Jin.

*

Following Night...

Kazuya sat up, frowning in his large bed. He scowled as the young woman he slept with rubbed her hands over his bare, hard chest.

"Ooohh, Kazuya," she purred in their language. "That was fun! You definitely had some aggression pent up."

Her small fingers brushed over his scar, making him shudder. Not wanting her to have the privilege, he pushed her away.

"How about you get dressed and go," he sneered. "You're no longer needed here, Sakura."

Aforementioned woman looked insulted.

"God. You sure are impolite tonight, Kazuya," she grumbled, tossing her brown hair over her pale shoulder.

Sakura was in her early 30's. She was an acquaintance Kazuya had met a few months ago at one of the G Corp meetings. Her porcelain skin, sophisticated business attire and bold attitude had caught his eye. They had a few romps since then and had done business briefly, with her acting as a liaison for G Corp's invitation to become one of the board of directors. The woman had called him earlier and inquired about a rendezvous at his favorite cafe. Since he was somewhat unbalanced after Monica's absence, he decided to try and forget about the adolescent by accepting Sakura's request. The 2 came back to his home and had sex.

[a/n: OK, so originally I didn't expand on this woman and just kept her as a random girl with benefits Kaz met a while ago and never brought her back up after this scene. But I thought it would be more fun to keep her as "competition" for lack of a better term, for Monica. Although, really there isn't much competition as far as Kazuya is concerned lol]

Kazuya already knew the woman's body was average, although he liked her long legs. However, seeing it after memorizing the American's extreme hourglass figure...he was sorely disappointed. Even the sex was not as good and it did little to keep his mind off the girl. In fact, he called her name at the end of their session.

Presently, the Mishima threw her an indifferent look.

"So what? You only ever been an easy lay. If it wasn't for your affiliation with the company and your business savvy mind...I would not have bothered with you since the 1st time you spread your legs."

Saying nothing else, he got out of bed , tossed out the used condom and slid his robe over his athletic body. The woman got dressed, every so often casting a glare in his direction. Once she was finished, the scarred male led her out the room and down the stairs to the door.

"You have your own car, so you don't need to be taken home. Have a nice night," he mumbled carelessly.

She only stood scrutinizing him.

"Y'know, you should get over that...Monica woman."

His eyes narrowed at her comment.

"Thanks. But I didn't ask your opinion on my private life, fool. Goodbye!"

With a huff, the Asian lady marched out the door to her car waiting in the driveway. Kazuya shook his head and slammed the door closed, then wandered back upstairs. He stared at his messy bed, still smelling the woman's perfume in the air. Ugh, he felt so dirty now. And her perfume was too overpowering for his tastes.

He wrinkled his nose before strolling to his bureau to search for some clean boxers. Opening the windows and changing the sheets were in order too.

Kazuya stepped into the shower, letting the hot water spray onto his face. His thoughts floated to Monica again. He bowed his head, causing the water to wet his dark brown locks.

Why couldn't he stop wondering about her? She was not that important...or so he thought. Sure, she was like his beloved Jun and made him feel like he was a real person again, but he didn't need her. Although, he could not deny he had grown rather fond of the teen and missed her company. The sex was so good, so fresh with her, she ended up ruining him for anybody else! Sakura was no bore in the bedroom, and yet he found her skill mediocre in comparison. Still, it was for the best. Had it not been for the girl, his father wouldn't have caught him on tape.

Perhaps when things settled down he would see her again...if he could hold out that long.

* *

Few days after...

"Monica, we're going to go somewhere...together," Jin ordered. "You've done nothing but work out down at the gym for hours or watch TV. Time to get some fresh air."

He frowned, studying his reclining roommate on the sofa. She basically ate, slept, watched TV, exercised and went to work. It wasn't that she was depressed, she just wasn't into going out anymore. Ever since that night she and her 'boyfriend' had that dispute, she had been reduced to an android.

Monica gazed up at him with a faint glower.

"What if I don't wanna go, Jin?"

"Ah, ah, ah!" he said, waving a finger. "No if's, and's, or buts about it. It's about time you get over this guy."

She snorted and crossed her arms.

"I already talked it out with The Lord. Long as I talk to Him, I'll be just fine."

Jin sighed, although he could understand her point.

"I agree that talking to God is a great way to help with stress and figure out your problems. But the only time you go out is when you have to work..." The male pushed her up into a sitting position and sat next to her. "Listen, I have an idea. There's this cool museum we can go to today. How does that sound?"

The girl eyed him skeptically. "Hmph."

* * *

Jin staggered into the house, supporting Monica as she laughed heartily. He shut the door and locked it before dragging the drunken American upstairs.

"That was sooo funny, Jin! You didn't have to deck the guy in the nose like that! He was just talkin' to me," she giggled.

The martial artist laid her on her bed and began removing her shoes.

"No, he was trying to get you to leave to take advantage." He rolled his brown eyes. "And I told you not to drink so much. You know you don't like to cross the line between "tipsy" and drunk."

"Oh, aight," she cooed, pinching his cheeks. "I'll remember to do that next time...even though you drank as much as I did."

He smirked and pushed her back down on the bed. He would argue that his tolerance was much higher than hers, yet decided against it.

"OK, you really need to rest now, Monica. You had enough excitement for tonight."

She waved carelessly. "Aight, whatever. Now, come here, I gotta give yyyou somethin' for making me feel better."

Jin raised an eyebrow, yet gingerly leaned over her.

"What is it?"

Without warning, she clasped her arms around his neck and kissed him sloppily on the cheek, then promptly let him go.

"Eeeww, Monica!" he exclaimed, rubbing his face.

She burst out laughing again.

He stood watching her, glad that she was finally laughing freely. She needed the laughs.

Jin chortled softly. "OK, I'm going to bed now. You are too goofy tonight."

The demi-Native American's laughter died down. She waved goodbye.

"G'night, roommate!"

He shook his head and grinned before leaving the room.

* * * *

A couple nights later...

"Grandfather? Wh-what's going on?" Jin questioned suspiciously in Japanese.

Heihachi grinned. It wasn't a grin of love or kindness, but one of despise.

"What does it look like, Jin?" he asked coldly, gesturing to the many Tekken soldiers lined up in a row, aiming their weapons at Jin. "You have spoiled my plans, boy. Thanks to you, Ogre has disappeared! My greatest dream will remain only a thought!"

Before Jin realized it, his grandfather ordered the Tekken men to fire. Numerous bullets tore into his body. He cried out in pain and fell backward onto the floor, clutching his chest.

Heihach yelled for the men to cease fire and studied his grandson. He was wounded pretty badly, but surprisingly he wasn't quite dead.

On the floor, Jin could feel his lungs filling up with warm blood. It was getting more difficult to breathe properly...his vision was becoming blurry. There was the sound of approaching footsteps. His eyes swept up to the man's face. It was his grandfather.

Heihachi's eyes revealed no pity as Jin's hand slowly reached out to him.

'Grandfather, please...help me!'

Jin's eyes widened as his own grandfather rose a gun, aiming for his forehead. He couldn't believe his grandfather, the one that took him in and raised him after his mother's death, was going to kill him. And this was all over his fight with Ogre?!

His thoughts were cut short the moment the gun went off. There was a brief period of pain and then darkness. While his life force teetered on the edge of death, a dark presence from deep within surged forth. At first Jin cringed away from its evil, but gave into its power, allowing the force to overcome him. Very soon his life force sprang back with renewed strength.

Jin opened his eyes, body healing from its mortal wounds and transforming into something else. Onyx wings emerged out his back, his hands and feet grew claws, black markings of evil spread over his body.

The older Mishima, who had been walking away, heard Jin get to his feet. He whirled around in disbelief. His grandson glared at him through red eyes, audible growls thundering in his throat. What was this!?

Fear welling up inside the old man, he cried out for his Tekken soldiers to open fire again, before sprinting away to safety. The apprehensive men obeyed, their guns exploding. But Jin was hardly affected by the bullets. They were merely a nuisance, stinging his skin on contact. With a snarl, he dashed forth...fangs flashing, clawed hands extended for the kill...

Meanwhile, Heihachi made it to a different room and after leaning back against the wall, he let out an awkward sigh. That was close! He stood listening, the silence pounding in his ears. Wait...silence? Did that mean Jin was down? Or was it something he didn't wish to know?

All of a sudden, someone came tearing around the corner and crashed into Heihachi, spearing him through the wall that stood behind him. In 1 smooth movement, the assailant flipped himself off the elder man and landed gracefully on his toes. It was Jin!

Heihachi scrambled to his feet in a panic and sprinted over to a young woman tied up at the altar, Jin hot in pursuit. Upon reaching the girl, the old timer pointed his gun at her and faced Jin.

The young man stopped in his tracks, recognizing the woman. Monica?!

"One more move and the girl is dead!" Heihachi yelled.

Jin stood growling, his eyes darting between his traitor grandfather and the frightened Monica. He couldn't lose her. She was his last support. Maybe he was fast enough to take out his grandparent and save her. He decided to go for it.

Without warning, he lunged at Heihachi. Unfortunately, the senior citizen was ready and shot the female in the stomach just before Jin struck him down. Monica screamed in agony.

The son of Jun heard the shriek and looked over at his friend. She was still alive, but her belly was bleeding profusely from the bullet wound. In her condition she would die in a few minutes. There was nothing he could do to help.

With a roar, Jin bent and grabbed Heihachi by the neck, lifting him into the air. His hate for the man swelled as he stared him in the eye.

"Prepare to meet your ashamed ancestors!" Jin snarled.

His hand dug through Hiehachi's chest, instantly killing him. The old man jerked once then immediately fell limp. Without any care, Jin dropped his grandparent's body onto the wooden floor.

He rushed over to his dying roommate and untied her hands and legs. He then lied her gently on the floor, cradling her sleek head. He studied her face, fear beating in his chest. Her amber-like eyes were glassy and wandering. Blood dribbled out the corner of her mouth. He was losing her.

"Monica! Please, don't leave me," he whispered hoarsely, tears stinging his carbuncle eyes. His wings trembled behind him. "I...need you."

She looked toward him. A stray tear rolled down her face.

"Jin...why didn't you save me?" she questioned softly.

An eruption of coughs followed her sentence, bringing up more crimson liquid.

"Why, Jin?"

Her words were barely more than a whisper now. She blinked slowly, her brow furrowing more. Whether it was puzzlement or pain she was feeling, he wasn't sure. "Who's that...man behind you wearing white robes?"

Jin couldn't find any words to form in his mouth to correct her. Perhaps she was hallucinating from blood loss. He did recall talking about angels with her before and that many people who've claimed to have seen them mentioned white robes with gold sashes. Brushing the recollection aside, he tightened his hold on her failing body as if trying to keep her soul from leaving. He listened to her shallow breathing as it grew fainter. He had to strain to hear. Suddenly it stopped altogether. She was gone.

"Nooo!" Jin wailed.

Salty tears dripped from his eyes. He had failed to protect yet another person he'd grown to love. Now there was no one left. He kissed the brown-skinned girl tenderly on the forehead and laid her head down.

He stood, shaking his head, not wanting to accept the fact she was gone. All of a sudden, he screamed his agony to the world, his wings spreading to their full span. He couldn't take it any more. He wanted to die and leave this cruel world behind for good. His life was virtually pointless and bleak.

After he stopped his yelling he simply stood brooding and mourning over Monica's death, as well as his mother. His shoulders slumped as did his large wings.

Out of the blue, a warm strong hand rested on his shoulder. He snapped to attention and spun around. There stood his scarred father. A sad smile was on his face. For some reason, Jin couldn't bring himself to hate the man. In fact, he found his presence rather comforting.

"Father..." he whispered gloomily.

He fell into Kazuya's arms and immediately broke down into tears. He felt so tired and drained.

Kazuya wrapped an arm around his son and let him cry.

"It's OK, son. Let it go..."

Monica shook Jin's shoulders, trying to wake him up from his bad dream.

"Jin? Wake up, man."

Jin's eyes fluttered open and locked onto her. He appeared confused.

"What? What is it?"

She scoffed. "You was havin' a bad dream. You kept moving around on your bed, groaning all loud. You woke me up, knucklehead!"

Jin remembered his strange, tragic dream. He was very grateful that none of what occurred was real.

"Oh, yeah...I was having a bad dream. Sorry about that."

He glanced around, noticing it was still dark out.

"What time is it?"

"...4:10 in the morning," she replied with a covered yawn. "I'm goin' back to sleep now. Try not to have anymore nightmares."

She smiled briefly, then began to turn to walk out the room.

"Monica."

The American stopped and turned back to give him her attention. He studied her momentarily. She looked so sleepy and innocent standing there with her night cap on. He realized how relieving it was to know his roommate was safe and most importantly, alive. Part of him couldn't help but wonder if his dream was a warning of some kind involving his family and even Monica herself. Although the first half was mostly from his memory of his grandfather's betrayal, it had changed towards the latter half. And the bit with his father appearing was unexpected.

Catching himself daydreaming, he shook his head.

"Ah...never mind. Go get some rest."

Monica nodded, even if she looked as if she wanted him to explain more, but left the room.

After she was gone, Jin sighed and stared out the window at the half moon in the sky. A dream was just a dream...

[a/n: I originally had him asking Monica to sleep with him to keep the nightmares at bay like he used to with his mom as a child. But I figured it was too silly and changed the scene.]

Another span of days afterwards...

Kazuya strutted into his home, just coming from another business meeting with the general manager of G Corporation. According to the manager, G Corp was nearly complete in repairs. He wasn't sure when the company would be up and running, but he had told Kazuya that the other owners of the corporation scheduled a conference at the Righa Royal Hotel in 3 days. There, they would estimate the grand reopening of the corporation and plan on experiments that will unite Kazuya's 2 halves as he wished.

But they were having a conference at the hotel? Hmm...

His musings were interrupted by his chubby servant.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Mishima," he greeted with a bow. "Is there anything you need?"

Kazuya smiled weakly, taking a seat on the sofa in the living room. He loosened his tie, then set his thin binder of documents next to him.

"No, I'm fine."

The servant nodded but stood gazing at him. Slight concern tightened his features. Kazuya soon felt his eyes on him and turned on the TV.

"I told you I did not need anything. Why are you still standing there?" he asked irritably, not looking at him.

"Yes, I know, sir. But...I couldn't help but notice you haven't been yourself lately. You don't quite look the same." The butler tilted his head to the side. "Is everything all right?"

For an instant, Kazuya was impressed that his servant cared about his well-being. Yet, since he was a hardened man, he became agitated that this guy wanted to know his business.

"I am fine. What happens in my personal life is none of your concern, Tenchi," he sneered. "You're excused for now."

Tenchi, the butler, bowed briefly and departed. Kazuya's eyes followed him, his mind in deep thought. Could he have been that affected by Monica's absence? He must have, even his servant realized it. How long has it been since he been with the American? Nearly 3 weeks? It also was a bit of a sting that although he resisted calling her, she never bothered calling him either.

He harrumphed and turned off the television. Mishima Kazuya needed no one! He had been by himself for 20 years. Endured the apathy and abuse of his father for most of his childhood. So, then why did 20 days feel like 20 months?

Frustrated, the scarred Japanese stood and made his way up to his office to check emails and write down reminders of the meeting in his planner. While writing down the reminder, the thought of meeting at the 5-star hotel flashed through his head. Hotel...Monica...hmmm.

[a/n: this originally was gonna be the pic for the chapter, but I decided to use the other one. Since it's such a nice pic I felt it deserved to be used somehow...]

He ceased writing.

Did he just think that? With a sigh, he leaned back in his comfortable office chair. OK...so he missed her and wanted to be with her again. There, he admitted it! He didn't feel that great without her company. And even though he was tempted to answer Sakura's call last week for a possible quickie, he forwarded her call to voicemail instead. There was no more desire for her company and he made sure she knew that by sending a text the following day. He hadn't heard from her since then, fortunately.

Anyway, The Righa Hotel would be an excellent getaway. Should he call the hotel now and make room reservations? No, he shouldn't get too confident. First things first, he had to call her and apologize...and that wouldn't be easy for either of them.

"Hello?" came a woman's voice.

Kazuya recognized that sound anywhere.

"Bishoujo..."

There was a moment of silence.

"K-Kazuya?!" she exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, it's me."

"Uh huh, so you actually got off your high horse and called me? Hmph, you got some nerve calling here!" she snapped. "I should hang up on your behind."

"No, no wait. Don't hang up...I called to apologize--"

"Don't give me that crap! Bye!"

There was a sharp click and the line went dead.

Kazuya pulled the cell phone away from his ear and glared at it. The girl hung up on him. He wasn't used to that.

'Didn't go too well. But I'll try again...'

He redialed the number. The phone was answered on the first ring.

"Would you stop callin' here!? I don't feel like talking--"

"Monica, just listen to me."

She sighed. "Aight...I'm listening."

"I want to say I'm really sorry. I know I've acted like an a**hole that day. It's just that...I was angry that my father managed to catch me on tape after all this time..."

"Excuses, excuses. But I'm impressed you found the courage to apologize, knowing how prideful you are. Still, it's not enough for me to continue this conversation."

Kazuya clenched his jaw. D***** she was making him tell all.

"Do you now how hard it was for me to forget about you? I even tried sleeping with another woman and it didn't work; I called your name, not hers!"

He paused, feeling uncomfortable about unveiling his emotions.

"There were nights where I couldn't sleep. ...It's just not the same without you, Bishoujo. You were on my mind at one point in time everyday. Hell, even my d*** butler sensed something was off about me!"

Monica remained silent and for a moment, he believed he wouldn't win her back.

"...I had no idea, Kazuya," she finally replied softly. "I believed you just went on about your business like I never existed. But...I guess I was wrong."

Kazuya was relieved.

"Can you please meet me at the place we met across from the Harajuku Center? I...really want to see you."

"OK...I suppose there's no harm in that. What time?"

"In an hour."

"Deal. See you soon."

She hung up without waiting for a goodbye.

The man sighed and ended the call. At last he would see Monica again.

Kazuya stood outside his limo patiently awaiting the dearly missed American. He wore shades as usual. He was about to run into a nearby store to grab a drink, when his eyes fell on a very attractive caramel-skinned woman in a light blue tank top and jean capris. Her red-hued, dark hair draped over her shoulder in a thick braid. This had to be Monica.

When she stopped a few feet away from him he had to remind himself to breathe. He nearly forgot what she looked like. She seemed more beautiful than what he remembered. Kazuya silently observed her. It was so good to be in her presence. She was the highlight of his day. His exotic Nubian goddess. He wanted to kick himself for excluding her from his life for the past 3 weeks.

Meanwhile, Monica was studying him. It was almost like seeing Jin, but without bangs and wearing a suit and sunglasses. Pushing this amusement aside, she focused on him. He did seem a bit different compared to how he used to. Maybe less cocky. For a moment, she was happy he went through a difficult time and that he deserved it. But then she felt sorry for him. This was not the cold-hearted, arrogant man she first met. He had surely changed.

"Hi, Kazuya," she greeted awkwardly.

"Hi, Monica," he softly replied.

His voice reflected the observation she made.

"Y'know...I missed you too," she told him, taking a step forward. "And, for the record, please don't ever say anything like you said to me last time. That really ticked me off."

"How do you think I feel about it?" he quipped with a small smirk. "You didn't deserve any of what I said."

The girl smiled, not seeing the longing in his eyes behind the shades. She closed the gap between them, cupping his face in his hands. She affectionately traced the scar across his visage.

Kazuya closed his eyes and leaned into her palm. His missed her soft touch. When he felt her hands pushing on the back of his head, his eyes snapped open. She was trying to kiss him. Uh-oh, not in public. No telling what spies may be prowling around.

"No, not out here," he told her, surveying their surroundings. "Get in the car."

"Uh...OK then."

He opened the door for her and let her climb in before following. After closing the door he glanced at some of the passerby's for anyone suspicious-looking.

"What was that all about?" asked Monica.

"Spies. Never know if they're around..." He faced her. "Oh, Bishoujo, I missed your company...let alone your touch. May I get that kiss now?"

He removed his sunglasses.

She grinned sheepishly. "...Aight."

The girl leaned forward, Kazuya's eyes fastened on those full, supple lips of hers. He closed them upon feeling her lips press against his. Just a couple seconds into it, he wanted more than that. Without hesitation, he ran his tongue across her bottom lip. She gingerly opened her mouth and Kazuya's tongue dove in eagerly. His hand cupped the back of her head, while the other rested on the small of her back as he explored her mouth.

Monica hummed at the sensuous kiss, entranced by how deeply he tasted her. Before she realized it, he nearly had her in his lap.

After an eternity, he broke it off for air, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Whoa, Kazuya," she breathed.

He chuckled then leaned back.

"Sorry. It's been awhile."

"True."

"Listen. I want you to come with me to the Righa Hotel 2 days from now. Can you do that?"

Luckily, with Jin's sway over the theater, she would be able to. Besides, it wasn't like she was full-time.

"Yes, of course. I'd love to," she answered, somewhat surprised.

"All right, good. I'll make reservations tonight. In the meantime...you up for seafood?"

* * *

Monica rushed into the house joyfully.

"Jin! Jin! Guess what?!" she gushed, jogging into the living room.

The young man jumped in surprisal. "What?! What is it?"

"My friend called and apologized to me today and told me how much he missed me! We're back together!"

She plopped down onto the sofa, clasping her hands together and sighing.

"He took me out to an awesome seafood restaurant! Had a nice time." The girl shook her head and grinned. "I tell ya, it's hard to stay mad at him."

Jin smiled, though on the inside he was a bit disappointed. He kind of thought she and her boyfriend would never make up and she would become closer to himself instead.

"Well, what do you know? That dude finally humbled himself and apologized, huh?"

She looked at him. "Yeah. I bet it was hard for the man to do. He's pretty conceited sometimes." She rested her chin in her hand. "It was good to see him again."

Jin got up off the recliner and hiked up the steps.

"Where you going? You goin' to bed?" Monica called.

"No. I'm changing into my training outfit..."

"Huh? But why? You never train this late!"

"...I know. I've been slacking. Need to get back into shape...and besides, I'm suddenly in the mood to train."

She scratched her head in puzzlement. That was odd for Jin to start training at nearly 10:30 at night. She shrugged and focused on the television. Perhaps he was a devoted martial artist.

Upstairs, Jin frowned as he retrieved his black/white flame gi pants. That secret boyfriend of hers was really bugging him! First, Jin was mad at him for hurting Monica's feelings, but after a few days he was glad he did. He and Monica were closer than ever. And now...the bastard decided to apologize and make-up with her. [a/n: lol] It was obvious that his roommate had strong feelings for the guy. She most likely will not reject him for her own roommate if he ever came out and told her his feelings.

Jin angrily tossed his pajama pants into a corner. Why couldn't things be a little easier?!

To Be Continued...


	11. Unexpected Love: Ch. 4D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steamy romance at the hotel, plus the green-eyed monster.

_ _

_2 days later..._

"I suppose you have everything?" asked Kazuya, as Monica slid into the car beside him. "Looked like you packed enough for 5 days rather than 3."

She laughed. "Yeah, actually I did pack enough for 5...just in case."

She leaned back and crossed her arms behind her head.

"So, what kind of business you got at this hotel?"

He smoothed his hair back, mind still lingering on what she said previously about staying 5 days. Huh, maybe they should stay longer...

"There's a business meeting I have to attend tomorrow. I can't give you the full details, but I'm having a conference with the other owners of a leading biotech firm."

Monica looked at him with curiosity. So, he is an actual owner of a biotech company? Wow.

"Sounds pretty interesting."

"Yes. It will be a rather interesting one. But we'll have tonight to ourselves."

"Oh, really. What about the last day? Are you having a business meeting again?"

"No. It's only for a day." He faced the window. "Anyhow, you'll love it at the hotel. It's a guest favorite."

She nodded and leaned towards him, draping her arms around his muscular shoulders.

"What exactly are we goin' to do tonight, Kazuya?"

He turned his head back to her, almost bumping his nose with hers. She flinched back and grinned bashfully. He smiled, eyes boring into her depths. She blushed.

"Ahem. So, what we going to do?" she probed.

His smile became a smirk.

"We're going to be spending the majority of our time in the room. The room service is very good there. We can order whatever we wish..."

His piercing eyes traveled to her pouty lips.

"I also have something planned for you that you will like."

His heavy gaze on her mouth caused her to unconsciously lick her lips.

"Oh..."

She started to pull her arms from his shoulders, but he grasped her forearms and put them back.

"I wish you would stop being so shy, Bishoujo. It's only me [a/n: only you?! Boy, you don't know how sexually charismatic you are lol!]. Intimate talk gets you on edge, ne?"

His tone was low and teasing.

"If you prefer, I won't carry out the plan," he murmured.

"No...that's OK," she told him softly, her cheeks turning pink again.

The girl turned her face away. He took advantage and kissed her cheek, then trailed kisses down to her neck. He then turned her face back to him and placed a quick kiss there.

"I miss kissing you like this."

He switched back to her neck, this time on the other side. His semi-sharp teeth grazed over her skin, impelling her to shudder. He grinned before nipping the sensitive skin on her shoulder.

"I missed that too."

She playfully pushed him away.

"C'mon, Kazuya! Save it for the hotel!"

Kazuya pressed the intercom button and leaned next to the mic.

"Anikki, when I'm done here I'll give you a call. So please keep your phone on you at all times!" he informed in Japanese.

"Yes, sir!" replied Anikki.

The son of Heihachi released the button and sat up, gazing out the window.

"Well, there it is, Bishoujo. The Righa Royal Hotel."

Monica eagerly leaned over his legs and checked out the fancy hotel building towering before them. Nice. Very nice, indeed.

"Wow, look at that! The place already screams expensive!"

Kazuya scoffed. "It's not that much per night. And besides, I have a lot of freedom here in Tokyo—Japan for that matter—in every facility I step foot in."

His dark eyes glanced down the length of her body, noticing she had one knee on the seat as she stared out the window. Her rear stuck out slightly and practically taunted him to touch it. He complied. Leisurely, he raised his hand and let it roam over her rump.

"...When you have plenty of power, you get the respect."

She yelped at the unexpected touch and swatted at his offending hand. Unfortunately, his quick reflexes allowed his hand to avoid the slap. Swiftly, she sat down in the correct manner and made a face at him.

"You love it, don't you?"

He cackled smugly. "Hm, yeah. But it's not the only thing I love about you."

Monica smiled at him.

Very soon the limo came to a halt. A man walked up to the passenger door wearing a burgundy uniform. He opened the car door for them and waited for the pair to climb out.

Kazuya fixed his collar on his crisp, light blue button-up and glanced at his date.

"There's our cue."

He got out the car where the escort greeted him enthusiastically and bowed. The well-known karate fighter nodded his head then slid his sunglasses over his eyes. He turned and held out a strong hand for Monica as she stepped out the vehicle. She glanced around at the other automobiles and guests leaving and approaching the driveway entrance.

There were lots of rich people that stayed at this place, so she knew not only was it upscale, it had to be one of the best.

The escort shut the trunk after retrieving their belongings and strolled to Kazuya's side.

"Would you 2 follow me, please?" he asked politely.

He led them into the building. Kazuya's hand came to rest on the American's lower back as they pursued the escort a short distance into the hotel lobby. She smiled inwardly and returned her attention to her surroundings.

The carpet was a deep red, reminiscent of a royal red carpet in Medieval times. The walls appeared to be cream colored marble. A large chandelier hung from the spacious lobby's high ceiling. Her excitement grew. This was already the highest quality hotel she'd been to.

Their escort handed over their luggage to a bell boy, bowed his head in farewell and left them to the young man. The bell boy guided them over to the front desk after welcoming the couple, during which he did a double-take on Monica. It was not because of lust, but because he was mildly surprised to see a dark-skinned foreigner with a native.

Once they reached the desk, a middle-aged woman greeted them.

"Thanks for choosing the Righa Royal Hotel, sir. What can I assist you with?" she greeted with a smile.

Kazuya crossed his arms and tilted his chin up slightly. The overbearing confidence was back, all right!

"Yes, I have booked reservations here. Under the name Mishima Kazuya."

The woman paused, the color draining out of her aging face. Her black eyes studied his partially hidden visage.

"Mishima...Kazuya?!" she exclaimed admiringly.

A few others stared at the group inquisitively upon hearing the name.

"Oh, sir, what a privilege it is to see you!" She took a deep breath and scanned through the computer for his name. "Ah, yes. Your room number is 1102." The lady turned and took the matching cards out of a cabinet then dropped them into the fighter's hand. "All right, you have a pleasant stay here. If you need anything, there's a list of important numbers to contact us by in your room, from room service to security."

Kazuya sniffed indifferently. "Thanks, even though I won't be needing any security guards."

With that, he walked away, guiding his young date at his side. The woman stood watching their backs, not believing the legend was with the girl.

'She'll be having fun...'

*

"Oh my goodness! Kazuya, this is just great!" exclaimed Monica, looking the hotel suite over.

It was almost like a small apartment. The room was very clean and smelled like botanicals. She wouldn't mind staying there for a whole week or even a month.

Kazuya gave the bell boy a nice tip, then closed the door. He lifted their luggage and carried them easily through the suite to the bedroom area, his own eyes scanning the place critically. He had to agree with his American girlfriend...the suite was more than adequate.

"Yeah, I know. We are at one of the very few hotels that served royalty."

Once the 2 reached the bedroom, the North Carolina native kicked her sneakers off and fell onto the luxurious bed. It was really comfortable and plush. She let out a contented sigh.

"...Kazuya, you never stop amazing me. You have such refined tastes."

The scarred Mishima made his way over to her and sat down on the mattress.

"Well, I came from a wealthy family. I usually got the best." A frown settled on his lips as he gazed at the ceiling. "Could've always got the best if not for my blasted father."

The teenager winced internally at the hateful tone. Before she could say anything else, her tummy released a hungry growl. The Japanese smirked and turned his attention to her reclining form.

"Somebody is hungry, ne?"

She giggled, rubbing her taut midsection. "Yeah. You can say that again." She sat up. "We get room service, right?"

"Why, yes, of course." Kazuya glanced at the lampstand, where a sheet of laminated paper lay. "The number must be on the stand there."

Monica leaned over and snatched it up. The type was in Japanese, English and one other language. Still, she handed it over to her date.

"Go on and order us somethin' good, please?"

He eyed her as if mildly irritated, yet scanned over the paper. This was going to be an interesting evening.

<3

After eating an assortment of foods and drinking Chardonnay, they sat watching a movie in the living room area. Monica surprisingly wasn't all giddy but mildly sedated. Kazuya was somewhat relaxed himself.

The female sat thinking of how blessed she was to be with a wealthy man that she actually had feelings for and vice-versa. Since she started seeing Kazuya she had been able to do some things she would not have been capable of, had it not been for the man [a/n: c'mon, any middle-class woman is gonna think it at some point in her relationship with a man who's got some money lol]. Wealth and power sure had major advantages. Regardless of that, he treated her well and never put her down. Sure Kazuya hurt her feelings a short while ago. As much as she hated to admit it, she was the main reason for him being so easily exposed. But they had gotten over that and things were virtually back to normal between them. The karate expert just seemed a bit more cautious when out in public.

She was rudely shaken from her thoughts by Kazuya's deep, rough voice.

"Bishoujo, I believe it's time for phase 2 of the 'plan'," he informed her, sauntering in her field of vision with a bottle of some sort. "Come to the bedroom with me."

The demi-African teenager gingerly obeyed and turned off the movie, her gaze never leaving the deep red bottle in his hand.

"What's that?" she questioned., sitting on the edge of the bed once they were in the designated room.

He smirked. "This is massage oil."

The male gave it to her then started stripping his clothing off. He ceased when he reached his black boxers.

Monica only sat admiring his muscular frame. She still disliked that frightful scar on his torso, but had gotten used to the other marks on him. She forgot how fit he was.

"Uh...we're not doin' what I think right now, are we?"

He chortled slyly. "Iie." 'Not now anyway...'

Moving like a tiger, he crawled onto the bed and lied down, resting his chin atop his hands.

"You mind giving me a massage?"

The girl's mouth dropped open. "Massage? Um, no I don't mind..."

She straddled his rear, opened the bottle, then poured some of the liquid into her left palm. It was cool to the touch. After setting the bottle on the lamp stand, she rubbed her hands together, warming up the oil. Her amber eyes gazed over his broad back, noticing a slightly longer scar marring his skin. She chose to start just below his neck.

'Such a nice body, but goodness his dad messed it up!'

The American felt Kazuya stiffen for a brief moment then relax a little. Even though he was a tad at ease, her fingers could still feel the tension. That slipped her mind as she concentrated on his muscles. They would shift or bunch every so often under his skin at her touch.

Meanwhile, the Japanese man was savoring her massaging. He could tell she was an amateur, yet she still managed to make him feel pretty good. Her soft hands aided her well. The pent-up anxiety over his father gradually eased out of his body.

Once she got to his shoulders, he stifled a moan. God, he should ask her to do this more often.

He flexed his muscles in his shoulders to tell her exactly where to rub.

'Ooohh, yeah. Right there, Bishoujo,' he thought in a slight daze.

After the area turned to mush, he commanded her to move to mid-back. Every touch ignited a spark of warmth along his skin. Maybe it would be wise not to let her massage him for too long. Her ministrations were a bit arousing now.

The teen hit a spot on his lower back and for the 6th time, he moaned softly.

'The minx doesn't know what she's doing to me.'

Monica smirked when Kazuya's moan fell on her ears. Like the time with the scar, she felt proud of herself for making him utter those pleased sounds. She had to be doing a superb job, even though she was no pro at massaging.

Several minutes later, the fighter sat up a little.

"OK," he drawled. "That's enough. Your turn to get pampered."

The dark-skinned female smiled, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. While she dismounted Kazuya, she couldn't imagine the feel of his big hands massaging her back, let alone him sitting on her butt. She was going to be in a vulnerable position.

The tall man stretched quickly and got up, staring at her through half-lidded eyes. There wasn't any desire in them, but they appeared to be gleaming.

Monica stood and bashfully removed her clothes in front of him. Her visage became even warmer as she observed him gazing at her body. It was a good thing she wasn't totally naked. Nevertheless, his dark orbs perused eagerly up and down her form. A wide smile was plastered on his lips. She quickly slithered onto the bed beside him, lying down on her belly.

The bed dipped slightly as he moved over to straddle her. He poured oil into his hand, tossed it onto the stand, then pressed his hands together. He concentrated lightly, drawing forth some of his energy. Just before Monica could complain, he came out his concentration and started massaging her comparatively smaller shoulders. Little sparks [a/n: there they go! Zzzzt!] traveled down his arms, over his hands and across her skin. In response, she let out a tiny croon. He smirked, pleased with himself as he got the reaction he wished for. He kept up his slow, deep massaging coupled with his energy, earning more amplified purrs and moans from her. A few times he even had her twitching under him.

10 more minutes went by until the demi-African girl felt Kazuya cease his attention and a rock rudely poked her in the rear as he shifted. She released a small gasp.

"Time is up. Hope you enjoyed yourself," he said near her ear.

"Oh...I did, believe me."

He smiled and got off her to turn on the small stereo system, then turn off the lights. It was very dark until he opened the curtain, letting in the lights from outside. He returned to his date and placed some flat, square items on the stand. Kazuya grabbed her attention by moving behind her (she was sitting up) and wrapping his powerful arms around her.

"Look out the window. It's beautiful, isn't it?" he whispered.

Monica did as told and indeed the view was lovely.

"Yeah, it sure is."

He nuzzled her neck before inhaling the scent of her hair.

"Tonight I'm going to make it up to you, for all the hurt I may have caused you the past 3 weeks." His warm hands slid up to her ample chest, where he massaged it. "I want you to feel my affections for you, Bishoujo [a/n: phew I'm blushing right now!] And I won't stop until you're satisfied."

His lips kissed her shoulder and neck with growing urgency.

Monica jerked upon feeling his fingers glide over the junction between her legs. Then one moment later, her underwear was quickly removed.

Kazuya stopped kissing on her long enough to rasp, "You just keep admiring the view...I'll do everything else."

The young woman immediately felt him pushing her down till her boobs were pressing against the mattress, while she stayed on her knees. As instructed, she remained staring out the window at the cityscape, even though she felt so vulnerable and exposed in the position. There was an amazing array of colors emitted from the lights of the buildings and street lamps. Gold, blue, red and green. Above the colorful silhouette was an inky, star-dotted sky. It truly was a beautiful view...

* *

Monica awoke in a tangle of cottony soft sheets. It was morning and the sun was shining joyfully in the sky, its rays warming her exposed skin. She looked over at the clock. It was going on 11:30 am. The girl groaned with exhaustion. She usually doesn't sleep this late in the morning.

Her weary eyes scanned the luxurious room and she suddenly recognized it. She—no--they were at the Righa Royal Hotel. Swiftly, she checked Kazuya's side of the bed, but he was not lying there.

The teen's brow furrowed in curiosity before she suddenly felt a slight breeze stir in the room. She sat up, wondering where the air movement came from. A door leading to the balcony was ajar, the curtain ruffling a bit from the wind. Kazuya must be out on the balcony.

A smile lit her face as she recalled their romantic night together. Oh, he should be one of the world's greatest lovers! His performance was out of this world! She stretched and was rewarded by some soreness.

'Phew! He's a strong man for sure!' she thought in amazement.

Not only was Kazuya 'packing' but he had stamina, plus he knew all the right places to go for. He was able to push her over the edge several times. She even lost track of time since he made her feel so good.

Without further a due, and pushing the night's thoughts aside, Monica got out of bed. She was still nude so she put on her discarded underclothes then retrieved her toothbrush out her travel bag. On her way to the bathroom, she stopped to sneak a peek at Kazuya. Sure enough, he was standing on the balcony, hands resting on the railing. His back was to her as he stared out at the city. His dark plaid pajama shirt billowed in the breeze.

The girl smiled faintly and continued to the lavatory.

Out on the balcony, the karate fighter turned his head and gazed at the spot Monica had just been. He had heard her get out of bed and her faint footsteps as she sauntered through the room. He returned his attention to the view stretched out before him and sighed, letting the wind sweep over him.

His mind drifted from its previous pondering to the adolescent. He clearly remembered last night. He almost didn't want it to end. The young woman was surely not the domineering type, yet she wasn't totally submissive either; she participated. And that was what he wanted. He did not favor dominating women in bed...OK, he wouldn't mind a woman taking control once in a blue moon.

Aside from all that, he had put a lot of emotion into it. He took his time, watching her facial expressions, and listening to the sounds she made. Only when she requested for him to speed it up did he rush. His hand absently rubbed a couple welts on his upper back. Yeah, those requests earned him many a scratch, which he only vaguely felt during their activity. It wasn't until he lied flat on his back that he felt their sting. He then smirked, recalling her screams. Hopefully no one complained about them.

Presently, Monica's footsteps resounded behind him. Her arms encircled his trim waist.

"Hey, Kazuya. Good mornin'," she murmured.

"Good morning," he replied. "It's about time you woke up."

She laughed and cuffed him good-naturedly on the back. He winced a bit at the stinging pain from the contact of her hand on the tender welts.

"Somebody got jokes early, huh?" She moved to his right, gazing at the cityscape below. "Look, you took a lot out of me, Super Man."

He tittered at her remark, then looked down at her. She had on her silver and blue satiny robe. Nothing else was beneath it, unless she wore underclothes. Her shiny hair floated on the wind currents. What a lovely sight. To him, the American was one of the most beautiful women he ever laid eyes on.

Smirking, he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer to him.

"Y'know, you screamed kind of loud last night," he teased devilishly. "I wouldn't be surprised if the people next door heard your mouth."

Monica gasped, her countenance flushing. "Oh, Lord!" She buried her face in his exposed chest in embarrassment. "Why ain't you tell me I was too loud?!" she scolded, voice muffled.

He grinned. "Well, I did put my hand over your mouth when I could."

She giggled and pulled away slightly. "Ah, well. I couldn't help myself." Her eyes locked onto his, a dreamy haze settling into her orbs. "Last night was unexplainable. You're inhuman!"

Her hands ran over his shoulders and down his pecs, earning a sigh from Kazuya.

"I aim to please," he uttered, kissing her on the forehead. "You were awesome too."

The adolescent smiled awkwardly, happy to receive a compliment.

"...So," he continued, changing the subject. "You about ready to take a shower?"

She gazed at him. "Are you sayin' what I think you're sayin'?"

He smirked and shrugged haphazardly. "...Maybe."

His eyes betrayed his innocent exterior, glowing not with just plain lust, but affection. Monica inwardly sighed with relief and happiness at the glare in his eyes. He had surely moved past the physical attraction stage.

* * *

After much chiding and teasing, the couple dressed themselves. Kazuya, of course, had on a black designer suit and black shoes. A black/red/white tie was draped around his neck.

Monica wore a red and white Addidas short set. Their attire contrasted so sharply, most would never think they came together.

Kazuya stared in the mirror as he combed his hair back.

"Bishoujo, how do I look?" he asked absently.

The man quickly checked his hair and faced her, standing to his full height. Monica strolled up to him, eyes scanning over him.

"Good as usual..." she answered with a smile. His arrogance used to irk her, but now she sort of liked it. "You didn't have to ask. You know you always look bangin' in suits anyway."

A thick eyebrow rose in puzzlement. "Nani? Banging? [a/n: lol] What exactly does that mean?"

She chuckled. "Real good or attractive. Depends on how ya use it."

He rolled his eyes skyward. "American slang. Feh."

Monica folded her arms defensively. "Don't hate."

"Oh, I'm not hating on anybody..." He pulled her to him, placing his strong hands on her hips. "You hungry? There's a restaurant in this place we can eat at for lunch."

"Yeah, I am. I was wondering when we would eat."

"OK. We've got to eat now because I don't know exactly when the meeting is. I was expecting a phone call sometime soon to inform me," he told her, pinching her left hip playfully. "What a horde of unorganized fools, ne?"

The girl laughed softly at his question as he nuzzled her hair. "You're mean."

"Nah. They're just dumba****." He released her, cackling at his remark. "Well, let's get a move on."

They got whatever they needed and were about to walk out the door, when Kazuya's cell phone rang. He frowned and dug the relatively small phone out his jacket pocket.

"So, you fools decided to finally tell me about the conference time?" he growled in his native tongue at the caller.

Monica glanced up at him, noticing the stern tone. The caller audibly gulped.

"Uh, yes. Sorry for the delay, sir," the man apologized awkwardly.

"You're sorry?" Kazuya repeated incredulously. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Fuujin. Don't let it happen again."

He gestured for Monica to continue out the door and followed her, closing it behind them.

"There was uncertainty on what time, sir. A few of the other board of directors had conflicting plans."

"I see. What is the agreed-upon then?"

Monica linked her arm with his free one and tugged gently to signal that she wished to get to the restaurant. He glanced down at her, a small smile flashed on his face and he obliged.

"Over 2 hours from now...2:40."

"All right. That's sufficient time for me to get lunch. I hope everyone else arrives on time...or I will not be happy."

Kazuya and Monica reached the elevators and he pressed the 'down' button.

"You got it, Mr. Mishima. See you then."

"Goodbye." He promptly hung up.

Monica gazed at him. "Well, is everything aight?"

"Hai. They figured out a time. We have 2 hours to kill."

A moment later, 1 of the elevator doors opened for them. They walked in, where 5 other people stood inside looking them over. Out of the group, 1 was a foreigner. The girl kept her eyes averted, disliking the stares. Kazuya noticed and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him briefly, sending him a grateful glance.

All too soon, someone spoke up in Japanese of course.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr. Mishima?"

The tall Japanese man faced the interrogator. "Yeah, that's me."

Immediately all exchanged excited glances and words among each other.

Finally the lady that spoke before gushed, "I guess today is our lucky day then! Nice to meet you, Mr. Mishima!"

Kazuya nodded to her.

"Can I have your autograph, please?"

He groaned inwardly. "Sure..."

She grinned broadly and fished out a small notebook and a pen to hand to him. Kazuya took them and swiftly scribbled his signature down on the paper before returning them. The woman bowed her head in thanks.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Mishima!"

"Don't mention it."

He turned back to Monica and rolled his eyes. She snickered.

The elevator made 1 more stop, picking up 2 others, whom gazed and grinned merrily at the respected fighter. Kazuya shot his companion a helpless glance and waited with growing impatience for the elevator to stop at the ground floor.

* * * *

"Mr. Mishima, this card is for you!" informed a skinny waiter, jogging up to the retreating couple.

Kazuya whirled around and received a cream-colored card with gold lettering. Monica inspected it, but of course couldn't make out most of the words. She only knew "you are" and "invite"

"What's up?" questioned the girl.

He looked up from the small card. "It's just the invitation to the conference. It's going to be in the banquet room...as if I didn't already figure that one." He checked his expensive watch. "Starts in 10 minutes. You can wait for me back in the room. I should return in about an hour or so."

Monica sulked. "Aaw, Kazuya. C'mon, it's gonna be boring without you. How you just gonna leave your date like that?" She grabbed his masculine hands, giving him her sweetest face. "Can I please come? It ain't like I'll understand everything you'll say anyhow."

Kazuya frowned in contemplation. He didn't really want her to join him since the meeting was about matters she need not know about just yet. However, she did not understand most of their language. Plus, he found her expression irresistible and felt semi-guilty for leaving her behind. D*****! she was good at breaking down his stubbornness.

"Fine, onna. Follow me."

"Thanks, Kazuya."

"Yeah...don't expect it to happen again," he taunted, half-serious.

They walked briskly down a hall, until they came across a pair of large doors. In front of the doors stood 2 men in the usual Righa Hotel uniforms. They recognized Kazuya and bowed courteously.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Mishima," the taller one greeted.

"Hi," he replied simply.

"You here to attend the conference of G. Corporation?"

"Yeah."

"May I see your invitation?" He realized Kazuya's scowl. "Sorry, we just have to make sure, sir."

Still piqued at the request, he shoved the card into the man's face.

"Now open the doors, will you," he ordered roughly.

The employee, looking rather uncomfortable, opened the door as did his comrade. Kazuya sniffed haughtily and began to strut inside, when the same employee stopped Monica.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said politely in English. "Do you have an invitation?"

His arm stretched in front of her, barring her entrance.

"Um--"

"She doesn't need one, she's with me," Kazuya interrupted, still talking in Japanese.

"But sir, only those that have invitations can enter the room," explained the employee, switching back to his native language.

Kazuya clenched his jaw in wrath. He stiffly walked up to the employee, glowering into his face while he lowered the man's arm.

"Like. I. Said...she's with me. Don't argue," he said dangerously.

Everyone present could feel the hair on their arms stand up as if a faint electrical charge hung in the air. The employee began sweating.

"Y-yes, Mr. Mishima! As you wish!" he exclaimed nervously.

Even his co-worker appeared a bit shaken. Kazuya eyed them both then looked at the silent girl.

"Bishoujo, koi." he told her in a more gentle tone.

Monica, impressed with his ability to intimidate, sauntered up to his side. He linked his arm with hers, casting the employees one last glare, before swaggering into the banquet room.

The 2 fearful men exchanged glances and shut the doors behind them.

Upon seeing Kazuya, every man and woman at the colossal wooden table stood and bowed.

"Mr. Mishima, nice of you to join us," one greeted.

"Thank you," he replied, bowing his head in return.

He straightened up and began walking to his seat at the head of the table. The attendees discovered the woman behind him, and looked at each other in confusion. What was this young American doing there?

"Mr. Mishima...with all due respect, why is the American here?" the same man from before questioned curiously.

Kazuya sat calmly in the vacant seat, then beckoned to his girlfriend. She strolled over to him, gazing at the table of gaping observers.

"Have a seat," he ordered softly, patting his lap. [a/n: now this is not the same Kazuya from the beginning of the story, is it?]

"But...on your lap?" she asked lowly, in embarrassment.

"Yes."

She obediently sat down, not believing what she was doing. Kazuya wrapped an arm around her waist and looked smugly at the others. Monica blushed.

"This is my date. I didn't want to leave her all alone," he explained without shame. "Now, we're meeting to discuss the plans involving me and my other side, not my date."

They cleared their throats and tried to pay little attention to the stranger. The women however, let their gazes linger a bit more...one was merely surprised, the other green with envy. One of the men stood to begin preparing his presentation and passed down some papers to those seated. After everything was arranged and a projector screen was brought down, he started talking.

After a few minutes, Monica noticed one of the women present would keep looking down the table at her. She was noticeably younger than the other female, very fair-skinned despite it being summer, with medium length brown tresses. At first, the lady would turn her attention elsewhere when the adolescent would notice her staring...however, that changed and she ceased averting her eyes. The demi-Native American furrowed her brow in response and crossed her arms beneath her bosom.

What in the world was this woman's problem? She didn't even know her and yet here she was giving her an ugly staring contest. Perhaps she was one of the few natives that disliked foreigners.

It just so happened that while they were glaring at one another, Kazuya was asking the speaker a couple questions. His girlfriend folding her arms under her breasts inadvertently made them pop out, amplifying their size and modest amount of cleavage she was showing. Immediately, they drew his attention, his voice momentarily trailing off while his eyes drank in the sight. He smirked mischievously and was about to let her know she was distracting him, until his eye caught Sakura sending daggers at the brown-skinned teenager with her envious stare. That little wretch. Best to end this charade now...

"Sakura, what do you think of Daisuke's plan of raising more funds for construction?" Kazuya asked, redirecting attention on her instead of himself.

Instantly, the bespectacled female tore her eyes away from Monica and quickly studied the projection screen. A shade of red began creeping onto her cheeks, having been caught unawares. She apologized sheepishly, admitting she had missed some of the presentation points, but gave a b.s. answer anyways. A few of her colleagues shook their heads at her inattentiveness. One of the board of directors lectured her about paying attention to what's being said and to be respectful.

Proud of himself, Kazuya grinned lopsidedly and returned his attention to the papers on the table in front of him. He heard Monica titter discreetly at the other woman's discomfiture.

Things went on smoothly for a while longer. Sakura was now seemingly determined to avoid looking in their direction, unless Kazuya was speaking. That was until during a brief break in between speakers, in which she called one of the idle servers over to the table. Monica and Kazuya were busy holding their own quiet conversation about the woman's hostile attitude, so they missed what was transpiring. Just before the new speaker began his presentation, the same server came strolling over with an extra chair.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mishima. Would your date like a chair to sit in?" he questioned innocently.

The ex-KOIF frowned at the elder man, his arm tightening reflexively around the curvy young woman in his lap. He felt like an emperor with his vixen of a woman sitting there with him. He wasn't oblivious to the curious, sometimes covetous glances a few of the other men would send Monica, who was barely aware of it. The martial artist was glad when the long-haired teen glowered at the more forward young man on the right side of the table. The fool was cowed and stopped gawking after that.

"She is fine right where she is. Get that chair away from here, now," the Mishima dismissed irritably.

"O-oh, sure thing, sir. I was told that your lady friend looked uncomfortable and may have wanted her own seat."

"What? Someone--" he stopped talking and immediately looked down the table at the sly Sakura, who was conveniently writing something down in her notes. That b**** wasn't fooling anyone.

After shooing the server away, he excused himself to Monica so he could get out the seat. The girl looked perplexed, yet didn't ask any questions. Calmly as possibly, the scarred man strolled over to his former fling and leaned down to ask her to join him in the adjacent room for a private conversation. Some others looked on with sly or knowing smiles that knew of his and Sakura's past relationship. A couple of those in the know cast a pitying glance in Monica's direction, believing the cold-hearted male to be playing her like a fiddle. Once both of them excused themselves from the meeting, they walked to the other room. As they passed, Kazuya briefly sent a reassuring smile to the American, while the leggy Sakura smirked with triumph.

In the privacy of the adjacent room, Kazuya shut the door behind them. Thinking that she was going to be remunerated for her tactics, the Asian girl quickly invaded his space and placed her hands on his shoulders, rubbing them sensually with a sultry smirk. Her acquaintance instantaneously bristled at the unwelcomed touching, leaning his face away from hers with a stark frown of revulsion. Now more than ever, he truly realized how sleazy this girl was. He may have to work at it to get Monica in bed, but at least she was an interesting challenge that kept him wanting her even more. Who knows how many men—and even ones that were already in a relationship--Sakura seduced. Good thing he always wore protection, regardless if a woman claimed she was on birth control, was STD-free, or just giving him a BJ. The man even refrained from kissing any of his flings on the lips.

"Remove your hands or I will remove them for you," came his gruff, no-nonsense command.

It worked like a charm and the chastised woman backed off, disbelief crossing her face fleetingly. Once she had given him adequate space, Kazuya allowed himself to fall back into his normal business persona, eyes turning icy and anger simmering down to embers.

Turning back to the G Corp associate, he asked, "What exactly are you trying to accomplish by messing with my woman?"

Sakura scoffed, standing to her full height and placing hands on her slim hips. "I should be asking you what you're trying to accomplish, bringing that girl to the meeting!" She gave a flippant flick of her birch-colored hair. "That foreigner is merely a kid with a woman's body, Kazuya. I expected better from you," she added condescendingly.

His eyes narrowed at her words. "You may be a business asset to the company, but you should watch that tone of yours," he warned. "And that 'kid' is much more chaste and respectable than you. Not only that, but she puts you to shame in nearly all aspects of being a woman."

The insult hit a nerve, the Japanese female flushing with ire.

"Who do you think you are, humiliating me like that?"

The martial artist crossed his arms and leaned against the wall behind him, eyes closing in confidence. "I'm a Mishima, and unless you've been living beneath a rock, you ought to know the weight that name carries here in Japan." He coolly gazed out the window. "Listen, I believed I made myself clear about how I felt about you, Sakura. I don't keep loose women around me for long. Now, unless you do not care about losing your position in the corporation, I suggest you leave both me and my woman alone. Is that clear enough for you?"

Mentally defeated, the thin native took a step back as if physically struck. He was serious.

A superior vibe hung around him and made her feel as if she wasn't even worth looking at. That was when she understood how outclassed she was against him...he was the epitome of an elite. Their few trysts led her into a false sense of ease around him and blinded her to who she was truly dealing with. This single man...this Mishima had the authority to destroy her career and even her very life, if he so chose. Best to tread carefully.

Dark orbs lowering while scorn and a dash of fear percolated within her chest, she bowed shallowly and replied with a tight, "Yes, sir. Crystal clear."

Satisfied at her acquiescence, the powerful male finally spared her a glance and nodded his acknowledgment.

"You are dismissed."

Feeling belittled at the way he looked at her, Sakura spun on her heels and exited the room, leaving the door ajar for him. As she approached the younger girl's location, she couldn't help but send her a dark look. Her pride was bruised from being replaced by a kid fresh out of high school. Although Sakura had to admit the girl certainly had sex appeal and long, gorgeous shiny hair...

"God bless you," came the soft words of her rival.

The slim business woman paused, mouth slightly open in surprise. She wasn't expecting to hear such words from someone who was on the receiving end of her lethal glares. No scowl was glued to her countenance, not even a frown. Instead, the teenager offered a patient, kind smile. Sakura's slanted eyes came across the golden crucifix resting above the other female's much larger breasts and understanding dawned on her.

'Huh, one of those Christians.'

The pale woman found herself warming up just a tad towards the dark-skinned teen and rewarded her with a subtle nod before continuing to her seat.

Shortly, Kazuya came strolling out of the other room. His indifferent expression prevented anyone from reading his emotions. When his aloof eyes landed on Monica, however, they softened. She smiled at him before standing to allow him to return to his seat.

He apologized to everyone for the interruption and told the current speaker to proceed with the presentation.

His date asked if things were OK, to which he responded, "Yes, you won't have to worry about that jealous associate again." His face hardened. "If she does bother you, let me know and I'll handle it."

Monica nodded, noting that when it came to business, Kazuya was on a whole new wavelength. She had no doubt that he was revered by his colleagues.

"Kazuya...is she...?"

"An ex? No, simply a former business acquaintance with benefits. She was the one I slept with when you and I went our separate ways for a time." He shook his head with disgust. "Do not worry, it won't happen again. She is not the one I want." His piercing orbs intensified. "You, however, certainly are."

The American found herself blushing shyly and quickly looked away, flattered by the serious look in his eye as he declared his statement.

Smiling, Kazuya toyed with the strands of her red-black hair briefly, then reluctantly forced himself to give his attention to the speaker.

50-odd minutes later > > >

"Let me get this straight," Kazuya began, leaning forward. "Less than 2 weeks before Operation: Restoration is complete and once that is done, 1 week afterwards we'll pick up where we left off with the experiments. The ones before my father destroyed everything."

"Yes, exactly," the old man Monica remembered from the cafe with Kazuya verified. "The time it takes with the experiments to correctly identify the method to unify the demon within you varies. It could be anywhere from 1 week to 1 month."

"All right. Understood." He secretly tapped Monica's rear to signal her to get up.

She jumped slightly, covered a yawn and got off of him.

At first, she had a little fun trying to pick out what words she knew from the conversations, studying the papers a few of the men passed to Kazuya, and the charts that were presented. From what she gathered, something was supposed to happen in 2 weeks in order for experiments to ensue 1 week later? She recalled Jin talking about Kazuya volunteering for tests. She was a tad concerned about his safety, but decided it was none of her business.

However, over 15 more minutes into the meeting, she started to get tired of trying to figure out what they talked about. It was too many words and characters to absorb. The only times she was entertained were the couple times Kazuya got either impatient or angry with his comrades. The time he was mad, he had rose his voice and called one of the men a baka. That was a term she knew well and had to keep herself from bursting out laughing. Kazuya had noticed and with a faint smirk, squeezed her upper leg to silence her.

During the last 10 minutes of the meeting, a hotel employee came in with a tray of green tea and pound cake, and served them. While she took advantage of the refreshments (as did many others, including Kazuya) the karate expert discovered the same 30-something man—Reno was his name if he recalled correctly--watching her in a mixture of curiosity and longing. Clearing his throat, Kazuya managed to get his attention and sent him a withering glower as a warning. That deterred the male from repeating anymore staring.

Currently, the Mishima stood, causing everyone else to follow suit. He adjusted his suit jacket, before patting the wrinkles out his pants.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen it was good talking with you all. Fuujin...don't forget to give me a ring once things are ready to go for the experiments."

"Yes, certainly Mr. Mishima," he replied with a nod.

The son of Heihachi bowed in farewell as did the other attendees. He walked away, touching Monica's arm to let her know he was leaving, noting that Sakura gave his date a tentative smile. Hm, perhaps he missed something after the conversation they had, while he was still in the other room.

3 men that dared to look at Monica bowed their heads, smiling goofily at her. She bowed slightly and started to continue walking, when she nearly bumped into Kazuya. The tall Japanese had stopped in his tracks once he realized the 3 were smiling at her. He sent them a small scowl, possessively snaking an arm around the girl's waist and marched out the banquet room.

* * * * *

Monica lied back in her lounge chair and watched Kazuya stroll authoritatively over to the diving board.

The pair was inside the pool room, which was very spacious. A fair amount of people were gathered in the room, most swimming and the others sat on the side in lounge chairs, talking away or snoozing. Only a few children were at the pool.

It was Kazuya's idea that they go swimming, although Monica was a little reluctant. She was afraid the natives would shun her for daring to wear a bikini even though she wasn't slim. Fortunately, so far, no one stared at her in disgust or contempt. Maybe she wasn't fat to them after all.

Presently, her eyes picked out angry-looking welts on her boyfriend's broad back and winced inwardly. Did she do that to him last night? She didn't intend to do all that. But then again, who wouldn't rake their nails down his back from him repeatedly hitting their g-spot?!

She blocked the sensations out from last night, sighed and hummed at the same time. She swung her eyes back to Kazuya, who was nearly at the diving boards. Her ears picked up on the decrease in chatter and she saw that many of the adults were eyeing him.. it seemed as though the man commanded attention.

As usual, Kazuya paid hardly any heed to them, like they weren't even there. He climbed the short ladder and carefully made his way to the edge of the board [a/n: what do you imagine him wearing? Speedos or trunks lol] There he took a moment to allow his eyes to fall on her and a smirk play on his lips.

Monica held back a gasp, feeling an invisible force tug on her. Where did that come from? She couldn't even think, let alone tear her eyes from his. From far across the room, she felt that hypnotic pull while he gazed at her. All she could do was breathe.

Suddenly, he snatched his eyes from her and did a graceful swan dive off the board.

The girl settled back into her chair, her muscles relaxing from her recent paralysis. She was beginning to wonder if Kazuya indeed had some type of telekinetic prowess, ridiculous as it sounded. She took a deep breath and leisurely released it, then shook her head to clear her mind.

Monica observed the legendary martial artist emerge into view above the water and freestyle his way down the roomy pool. Yet again, she was mesmerized by how his sinewy body cut through the water. In less than 20 seconds he reached the edge of the pool and folded his arms across the ledge. He briefly shook the water out of his ears, letting his hair get an extra boost from its oppression due to the water's weight. He studied her with a half-frown.

"Koi," he ordered simply.

She crossed her arms defiantly. "Uh-uh. I don't wanna get up from this spot. I'm fine right here."

His frown deepened as he continued to scrutinize her.

"What, Kazuya?"

"...Koi," came his response, this time more firmly.

With a defeated huff, she reluctantly got up and sat on the ledge in front of him. Her legs dangled into the cool water.

Kazuya curled his arms about her waist. Chlorine water dripped onto her skin.

"Bishoujo, why aren't you in the pool?" he interrogated. "Is that all you're going to do? Sit in that d*** chair?"

She grinned, running her fingers over his damp locks. "Maybe. I didn't really wanna come here in the first place, remember?"

He rolled his dark eyes. "No, you can't sit there the whole time. What's the fun in that?" His lips brushed across her cleavage. "That swimsuit was meant to get wet. Now...come in here with me."

Monica rested her hands across his muscled shoulders. He whined faintly at the absence of her digits.

"Do I have to?"

Without any words, he lifted her up and carried her into the water in 1 smooth movement. She yelped at the contrast between the water temperature and the air's.

"D*****!" she fumed.

Kazuya let out a small chuckle and released her. She then recalled the scratches on his back and a wicked smile spread over her face. To get back at him, she swiftly smacked him on the back [a/n: at least it wasnt as hard as it was with his face lol]. The man hissed through his teeth at the moderate pain.

"Kami-sama, the stung!" he growled at her.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "That's what ya get for pullin' me in this cold water!"

He scowled and before she could blink, she found herself being dunked underwater. She quickly shot out the water and rubbed her face off. The young woman glared at him as he stood a ways from her with a smug smirk. She immediately splashed water in his face, wiping the conceited smirk off.

Not waiting around for her punishment, she cackled and swam away, Kazuya not too far behind.

*

Kazuya groaned with irritation as Monica tried to pull him over to the gym room.

"Onna," he grumbled. "Don't you think it's time we call it a night?"

Champagne eyes gazed up at him playfully. "Oh c'mon, Kazuya. It's still early."

He gave her a deadpan look. "Early? It's not early, it's going on 9:15."

Monica rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, releasing him. "Wow. Quarter after 9. That is not late."

"To you it's not. But to someone who goes to bed by 12 and not 3 in the morning, it is late."

She sighed in exasperation. "Aight then. If you're ready to go to the room for the night, fine."

Kazuya tilted his chin up a bit in victory. "Good..." He started walking toward the elevators.

"I'll see you when I get there."

The martial artist spun around in shock. "Oro? Monica, where do you think you're going?"

The female just kept on strolling to the gym room. "To the gym of course. Later!"

Kazuya stood gawking at her back, not believing she actually was leaving him behind. His astonishment soon morphed into anger. How dare she desert him. He was the one who invited her to the hotel! Well, if she was gong to behave like that then let her. He was not going to chase after her.

'Still...' he seethed silently. 'She will get it when she returns to the room.' [a/n: ooh we know what that means!]

With a 'Keh!' he whirled back around and marched over to the elevators, Sakura's condescending words haunting him.

To Be Continued...


	12. Unexpected Love: Ch. 4E (Bonus)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doing a little dance for ya...

Kazuya finally gave in and checked his watch. It was 20 after 11. And Monica still did not walk through the door. What could she be doing?

He frowned at the television screen. The shows were not very entertaining after the 1st hour. Especially since Monica was not around. She would crack a few jokes about some of the actors. And besides that, he just enjoyed her company. So, right now he was bored...and curious as to why the girl had not returned.

The male sat up on the large bed and sighed. Should he go look for her? Or should he simply wait for her to come back? After a long struggle with his pride, he chose to go search.

Kazuya stood up then looked down on himself. He was in his pajamas and slippers, but he did not feel like putting his normal clothes on. At least he sleepwear was top of the line.

He switched the annoying TV show off, tucked his room card in his pant pocket and left out the door. The man sauntered down the hall to the elevators and pressed the descending arrow. A few seconds afterwards, one of the doors opened and Kazuya stepped in, thankful that only 1 person was waiting there. The other man was continuously talking to him about fighting moves, however and was quite nosy. Luckily the man got off on the 3rd floor.

Kazuya got out the elevator and surveyed his surroundings. There was a couple security guards that stood nearby having an in-depth conversation and an occasional employee or guest would stroll by. The traffic was low and so was the noise.

Ignoring them, the fighter strutted through a few lounge rooms to the more lively section of the floor. When he got to the gym room, he peered in the window for Monica. A flash of brown skin caught his eye and he faced its direction. The person came back into view, carrying some hand weights. It wasn't Monica and wasn't even female. It was a relatively buff black man who was a couple shades darker than the girl. Kazuya left the window, grumbling complaints. He was hoping it would not take long to find the girl, yet that hope was quickly squashed.

He sauntered over to the pool room and stepped inside. It appeared that the poolroom was about to be closed for the night. A few guests were packing up their belongings and 2 lifeguards were cleaning the pool out.

"Uh, excuse me," Kazuya called in Japanese, walking over to one of the employees.

The young male stopped swishing his net through the water and focused his attention on the source of the voice. His breath caught in his throat once he recognized the guest...Mishima Kazuya.

"M-Mr. Mishima?" he stammered in awe.

Aforementioned man rolled his eyes. "Yeah."

"Nice to meet you, sir! I hope you're enjoying yourself. Did you want to go for a swim?" he rambled, bowing his head.

"No, I'm fine. I just needed to know if you saw a young, dark-skinned American woman around."

The teen's eyes sparked with interest. "I saw 2 girls that sound like that today. One had a ponytail with dark brown eyes. The other one...long hair and her eyes were really light, almost golden."

Now Kazuya's eyes lit up. "Yes! The last one is the girl I'm searching for. Where did you see her last?"

"She had walked by about a half hour ago with some people. I overheard one of them talking about hanging out at the bar, I think."

Kazuya's eyebrows rose. Monica was with some strangers...at a bar? He wondered who she was with exactly.

"Thanks a lot, boy."

Without waiting for a reply, he left out the pool area.

Once outside, he pondered on which direction the bar was. Must be right. He trotted down the wide hall, where on the wall there was a sign saying BAR AREA/RESTROOMS with an arrow pointing ahead. Another sign read BEAUTY PARLOR, SAUNA with an arrow pointing left. Of course, he continued ahead.

Before he entered the bar a couple came staggering out, smiling goofily. Upon noticing Kazuya, they sobered up a tad and bowed awkwardly, hanging onto each other for support.

"Sorry, Mr. Mishima," the guy apologized giddily. "We had a little too much to drink."

Kazuya snorted. "Obviously," he muttered, bowing his head anyway.

They trudged away, smiling apologetically.

The ex-KOIF went into the bar, eyes scanning the dim room. Jazz music floated over the speakers, people sat at the bar talking and drinking. Despite the fact it was a bar, the place was very inviting, clean and had a relaxing atmosphere. Usually Kazuya disliked bars, but he found himself actually liking this one. It was very upscale.

As he swaggered through the room, some people would turn and stare at him in mild surprise--1st because he was the infamous Kazuya and 2nd, he was in his pajamas. He pretended like no one else was in the room with him, except the bartenders.

"Hello there," he greeted confidently.

"Uh, hi Mr. Mishima. What can I get you tonight?" replied the anxious woman, blushing lightly.

"I need some info on a certain American girl..." he began, resting his arms on the counter. "She has light eyes, black hair, light brown skin. Very attractive girl.[a/n: that's right, compliment your girl, Kaz lol]"

The 40-something lady gazed up at the ceiling in deep thought. That description did fit one of the younger girls she spotted awhile ago.

"Err...yeah. I think I know who you're talking about, sir." Her onyx orbs met with his again. "She and a group of friends should be in the game room."

Kazuya walked farther down where another room was divided from the bar. He stopped in the doorway to scan the room. About 5 men and a couple women were surrounding the pool table, but only the players were actually paying attention to the game. Several other people were scattered around the room near the arcade machines, also watching something. A different type of music was playing on the jukebox, something a little more...romantic. This music had more bass than any other songs he listened to. It must be the type of music most of the younger generations adopted from the West. He cocked his head slightly to listen to it. He supposed it wasn't so bad; it was great for his occasional romantic nights.

Pushing his musings to the back of his head, he peered over the men's heads to see what they were gazing at. His jaw dropped to the floor in amazement. There in the center of the room was Monica! A short distance away, another teenage girl was cheering her on, every so often and sometimes danced along. Monica was quite a sight to behold. Her curvaceous body was moving so sensually that it started to entrance him. He never personally witnessed such dancing before in Japan.

His eyes observed her hands travel over her belly down to her crotch. He unconsciously licked his lips at the sight. Her hands then swiftly left that area, her hips still rolling slowly. Next, she did something that made him want to carry her upstairs to the room. She bent over, rear end up in the air and moved her hands up her legs. As she did so, she gradually straightened up. Her hands continued to glide up into her hair, then clasped together in the air above her head. He heard a few of the men comment about the dance move. The martial artist would have said something had he not been so engrossed in the scene before him. Her body moved like a snake in sync with the rhythm of the song.

'Kami-sama,' he thought. 'Where did she learn how to dance like that?!'

Very soon the song ended, as did the girl's dancing. Instantaneously, everyone watching cheered and hooted, except Kazuya. He could only stand there dumbfounded. Monica giggled sheepishly, hands covering her mouth.

"I can't believe I did that!" she exclaimed, sounding somewhat ditsy.

Her new-found female friend laughed and hugged her. "You're a really good dancer, Monica-chan!" She let her go and studied her. "I never thought a shy thing like ya had it in you!"

The men started complimenting her and one even played another song to encourage her to dance again.

"No! No! I'm done, ya'll. You're killin' me!" Monica cried, waving her hand dismissively.

Many protested as she trudged over to a pool table with her friend and leaned against it. Her balance was a bit off, so either she was tired or buzzed.

Kazuya quirked an eyebrow, still standing unnoticed in the same spot. He watched 1 of the young men that followed the 2 lean close, initiating conversation and making the women giggle. Kazuya didn't like his proximity, so he finally decided to make his presence known. He bumped through the small crowd so she could clearly see him.

"Monica. What're you doing here?" he boomed, getting everyone's attention. "You were supposed to be in the gym." [a/n: again, you forgot how young-minded she still is Kazuya. This is what happens when you date much younger women...]

She snapped to attention, as did her friends, who backed away. The girl glared at him then crossed her arms, still feeling neglected from him refusing to go to the gym with her earlier.

"What do you want, man? I was havin' fun, OK?"

Kazuya narrowed his eyes at her retort. Several of the guys exchanged surprised glances. The ex-KOIF was dating an American? And not only that, the girl spoke to him in a disrespectful tone.

"I came to retrieve you, that's what," he responded firmly, walking up to her. He could faintly smell the odor of alcohol coming off her. She had indeed been drinking. "...You had a few drinks."

Monica sighed and looked him in the face. "OK, you got me. But I'm not some child."

"Yes, of course. But it's time you come with me. You had enough fun for tonight."

The girl turned her back on him. "Nah, I wanna stay a little longer, if you don't mind."

"Well, I--"

Meanwhile the young man Monica was talking with was getting fed up with Kazuya spoiling everything. If the girl didn't feel like leaving, then he should let her stay for crying out loud! He marched up to the bickering pair and glowered at the elder man. The 2 stopped arguing and stared at him.

"Look, Mr. Mishima...she's with us, OK? Why don't you just wait for her at the room?"

Monica, even though slightly impaired, was stunned that her new friend was standing up to Kazuya. He was asking for a death wish! "Um, Sano, what are you doing? Are you crazy!?"

"No, Monica-chan. Just standing up for you. Mr. Mishima thinks he's somebody's dad!"

Kazuya scowled. "What?! Brat, I suggest you step aside. This does not concern you," he growled in their native tongue.

Sano was a bit afraid by his tone, but stuck his chest out and stared him in the eye. "No. you may be the ex-King of Iron Fist, but you're gettin' a little old now. I bet me and my pals could take you." He slid into a defensive stance. "Right, guys?"

His friends eyed each other uncertainly. No one answered, nor made an attempt to join in on the 'revolt.'

Sano frowned. "Cowards!" he rasped. "I'll get him myself."

The legendary karate fighter started guffawing. Sano felt a tinge of insult. "Kid, you really believe you can defeat me?!" He ceased the laughter and sent him a death glare. "Youngsters need to be taught a lesson or 2 about respect. I'm in my upper 40's, yeah, however that doesn't make me a pushover. I don't feel a day over 21." He dropped into a fighting stance as well. "Tell me, do I appear 'old'?"

The young man studied him briefly. He had to admit Kazuya didn't look his age at all. There wasn't a hint of gray in his hair or a wrinkle in his handsome face. Sano was into lifting weights and being fit, but Kazuya's body was rippling with raw strength. The only thing old about him was his age.

Monica glanced back and forth between the squared up fighters. They were really about to duke it out? "No! Don't do this...it's not worth it!"

Her plea fell on deaf ears. They were almost entirely focused on each other. Monica noticed the rest of her associates fall back, as well as other people so as not to be in the way.

"Yowa mushi." She heard Kazuya say. Before she had time to attempt to figure out what he said, Sano rushed at Kazuya and swung.

The karate champ dodged his fist effortlessly and tripped the younger man. Sano fell face-first onto the floor with a startled yelp. A few spectators sniggered at the scene. Kazuya turned to face the boy, an amused smirk on his lips.

Sano got to his feet, seemingly embarrassed and ticked off. He raised his guard again, then hopped over to Kazuya. This time the boy stopped and threw a jab, which was evaded and followed up with a right hook. The elder male ducked under his opponent's arm and landed a solid blow in his gut.

The young man's breath fled from his lungs and spittle flew out his mouth. Even then, he knew the ex-KOIF was holding back on his real strength. Had he went all out, he would've had a ruptured spleen. Too soon, he received a fierce uppercut on the underside of his chin.

Monica observed her friend go sailing backwards from the attack and winced. He shouldn't have challenged Kazuya. Nevertheless, she gave him props for his bravery. She discovered her boyfriend trotting over to Sano. Quickly, she darted over to the fighters just as Kazuya seized hold of the fallen boy's shirt. She clasped both hands around the scarred male's muscled arm.

"Kazuya, no! Stop it!" she ordered anxiously. "He's had enough."

The Mishima glanced at her, then gazed at the dazed teenager. He allowed the boy's head to drop back onto the floor and grunted.

"Never underestimate me, idiot," he leered, straightening up.

The half African girl brushed past Kazuya and kneeled down next to her acquaintance. She cupped his face and peered worriedly into his eyes. "Sano? You all right?"

He blinked rapidly and stared up at her. "Y-yeah. I'll be OK, I think."

The girl relaxed and shook her head incredulously. "What was you thinkin'? Kazuya wasn't the KOIF for nothing!"

The embarrassed boy laughed weakly, rubbing his abdomen to ease the dull ache. "Well, that's what I get for standing up for you."

She smiled and called one of the acquainted males over to help her stand Sano up.

Kazuya stood apart from the group, arms crossed and looking haughty. He had no regrets or pity on the young man. The boy wanted to show off and ended up getting beaten. He should've known better than to challenge him. Sano was lucky that he decided not to bother using his true strength.

Presently, Monica came striding over to him, scolding him with her eyes. "Aight, let's go a**kicker."

His eyebrows rose inquisitively at her words, hearing the slight slur from the alcohol's effects. He smirked and guided her through the crowd. As they passed, some guys complimented her dancing. Immediately, Kazuya glowered at them, effectively silencing the admirers.

* *

"You are a mean a**, you know that?" Monica asked, once they got in the room.

Kazuya said nothing. Only calmly closed the door behind him, and followed her through the suite to the bedroom. He then set his card on the lamp stand before sitting on the bed.

"You ain't have to beat the fool outta my friend!" Monica continued, stomping over to where her nightclothes lay on the chair. "You knew darn well that you was stronger than him!"

She kicked off her sneakers and eyed him before resuming her reprimanding.

Meanwhile, Kazuya sat on the bed observing her fume about her acquaintance. He kind of enjoyed seeing her mad, buzzed and all. Her face was flushed, eyes ablaze, hands flying everywhere, an occasional slur slipping out. A smirk crept onto his lips at the sight.

When she began to strip out of her day clothing, his mind flashed back to the bar. It was a shocker to see her dance like that. He couldn't believe she never did that before. Maybe the alcohol put her completely at ease. The girl was always fairly timid. After the initial shock wore off, he found her exotic dancing quite mesmerizing and even erotic. Her lithe body rolling in sync with the music nearly had him standing at full attention. Bending over did not help matters either.

He snapped out his daydreaming to see what she was doing. She was just stepping into her pajama shorts. Her top was already on. Smirk widening, he got up and strolled over to where she was. The girl got her shorts on and glared up at him. That alcohol smell still lingered around her, yet he no longer cared much about it.

She put her hand on her hip and pointed a finger at him. "Don't think I'm done with you!" she spat. "You ain't nothing but a bully! I believe you like beatin' up on people just 'cause you know you're stronger!" She backed up a little and threw her hands up incredulously. "I'm surprised you didn't come after me yet!"

Kazuya's eyes glittered dangerously at her taunting. Moving with agility, he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. She let out a startled yelp upon landing on the mattress and glowered at him.

"Silly onna!" he hissed, looming over her. "You don't know what you're saying!"

She frowned. "Nooo. You got mad just because I was dancin' at the bar! That's why you beat up my friend!"

He scowled in response. "What did you expect? Yes, I was pissed that those bastards were staring at you like you were a piece of meat, but that's not why I fought your little friend!" A frown appeared on his face as well. "Whose date are you? Mine or his?!"

The girl looked into his eyes, her anger fading. "I'm yours."

Kazuya heard a hissed 'yesss!' in his mind as a warning before he sensed the beast within snarl and strain hard against his mental leash. He barely was able to keep the demon in check. Unfortunately, he felt the affects of his other side's desire from the girl's words. The glare in his eyes shifted to something more feral, mixed with passion.

"That's the right answer," he almost growled out. He lifted one of his hands, studying the sparks of energy he summoned crackling around the limb. "Your insubordination has earned you some torturing before I finally give you what you deserve."

Monica's orbs widened with innocent disbelief and she began crawling backwards on the bed slowly as he advanced. This...was the 1st time he drew on his energy like that.*

"Prepare yourself for a long night, Bishoujo..."

His smoldering eyes locked with hers and the girl shivered, whether from fear or excitement, she wasn't sure.

* * *

Monica pushed herself up with a small shout. Her amber eyes glanced frantically around the dark room before settling on the man beneath her. It was a dream. Another crazy nightmare.

She wiped her brow, feeling the moisture there. She had been sweating. Not only that, but she was trembling and her breathing came in short gasps. Darn dream!

Being high on adrenaline, she jerked at the soft brush of fingertips on her lower back.

"Onna, what is it?" came Kazuya's concerned, weary voice. "You had me thinking some intruder was in the room."

Monica took a deep, relaxing breath, glad that his voice possessed the normal bass it always did.

"I-I'm sorry. It's nothin' much," she breathed. "I dreamed your eyes was red and when we started getting serious, you bit me and made me bleed!"

"Oro?!" Kazuya exclaimed in puzzlement. "I would never hurt you, especially in a sick way like that..." He realized how shaky she was and reached up, encircling her with his arms and pulled her back down against him. "Calm down, onna. Go back to sleep," he coaxed, tracing small circles on her back and caressing her tousled hair.

She nodded silently, body relaxing from its quivering. She felt so safe in Kazuya's arms. His body heat added some comfort and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. A moment later, she fell asleep.

Kazuya remained awake and instinctively held her closer. He gazed out the rain pelted window, listening to the crashes of thunder. He frowned.

The dream description of himself was pretty accurate. It sounded like his other side was in control of his body at the time. Although, he wasn't sure if the demon would actually injure her. He hoped not. A sigh left his lips. The girl seemed to know about the beast...but how? Feh, perhaps she didn't. He was positive he didn't tell her anything about the demon inside.

He glanced down at her and planted a gentle kiss on her temple, before reverting his attention to the window. Soon, very soon he knew he would have to let her meet his other side. Hopefully, if she truly has feelings for him, she will accept it. If not, he'll have to let her go.

Heaving another sigh, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep...oblivious to Devil's amusement.

End Ch. 4!


	13. Unexpected Love: Ch. 5A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG!?

"Say what?!" shouted Hwoarang angrily. "Kazama, tell me you're kiddin'!"

Jin blinked at how furious his former rival was. "No, I'm serious. Monica's boyfriend hurt her emotionally. But like I said, it was 3 weeks ago."

The Korean shook his head, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"D*** him! Something told me K—that guy would hurt her!"

Hwoarang had just chose to surprise visit Monica since she hadn't talked to him much for the past 3 weeks. Instead he was greeted by Jin, who appeared stunned to see him show up at the house. Hwoarang was very disappointed. However, Jin, being the polite host that he is, invited the redhead in. The man came so far to see the female adolescent, he decided to let him rest up. Of course, they bust each other's chops, but afterwards initiated conversation. They first started with general topics until Hwoarang asked how Monica was doing.

"I feel like kickin' his sorry a** right about now," the Korean continued heatedly.

Jin (who missed the near slip-up) studied the other man. It was clear that he had feelings toward the American. Jin always had his suspicions.

"Say...you kind of like Monica, ne?"

The red-haired teenager's rage subsided at the question. He sighed heavily then looked away. "Well, yeah. Ever since I met her back in the States. We were like...flirtatious friends, if ya wanna call it that." He grinned sheepishly. "That girl is sexy and she has a great attitude. She's sorta special, y'know?" The boy looked over at his rival. "Anybody that treats her bad needs to have his teeth knocked out."

Jin gazed down at the floor wistfully. "I know what you mean. Monica is a good person. I wanted to knock some sense into the guy myself." He ran a hand through his bangs. "But, listen. The guy took her to some fancy hotel for 3—no, 5—days to make up with her. That's where she's at now. Should be on her way back today."

Hwoarang's eyebrows rose. "Oh, really? Well, at least the man tried to make her feel better. But he still hurt Monica and he just lost all respect for that."

The Japanese stared at him suspiciously. "Do you actually know who this guy is?"

The redhead fighter frowned. "...Yeah, I do."

His rival became interested. "Well, who is it?!"

"Oh no, man. If Monica ain't tell ya, then obviously she doesn't want you to know. And I'm gonna respect her wishes."

The Japanese man huffed.

Their conversation was cut short when a feminine voice sounded outside. It was Monica! They listened intently and picked up on the other voice. This one was deep and masculine. They both recognized that voice too. It belonged to the man they were just talking about.

The 2 looked at each other and got off the sofa they were sitting on. By the time they got to the porch, the chauffeur just shut the passenger door and was making his way to the driver side of the black limo.

"Wow, this guy is rich after all," mumbled Jin.

Monica was at the passenger door, her travel bag sitting beside her legs. She was leaning over, head inside the car window. The 2 men could faintly hear her giggle and soft words exchange between her and the passenger.

Hwoarang gritted his teeth. Kazuya may have made it up to Monica, but he still hurt her feelings. He would not have it.

The American straightened up and waved goodbye playfully. They heard the passenger say a farewell before the window was raised. That was when the Korean bolted off the porch toward the limo. Kazuya wasn't getting away that easily. He wanted to have a few words with him maybe even get a good punch in.

Jin's eyes widened at the younger male's back. Was he going to attack Monica's boyfriend?!

"No! Hwoarang, get back here!"

But the red-haired Korean was not listening. He barely heard Jin's pleas. All he wanted was to get at the scarred man in the car. Unfortunately, it seemed he wasn't going to get his wish. The sleek limo was already pulling off. He reluctantly slowed to a stop, yelling insults at the departing vehicle in hopes that Kazuya could hear him. For good measure, he stuck up his middle finger.

"Prick!" he hollared. [a/n: can u say putting someone on the spot? And NO, Hwoarang, you fighting Kaz would just backfire horribly on you...Monica would be very upset.]

People nearby stared in shock at the seething redhead, wondering what he was so enraged for. The half Native American stood idly behind him, mouth agape at his unusual behavior. What was going on? Did she miss something?

"...Uh, Hwoarang?"

He spun around, face flushed with anger, and walked up to her with an accusing expression.

"Why was you just cussing Kazuya out?!" she hissed lowly so Jin wouldn't overhear his father's name.

The ex-military fighter crossed his arms and sighed, not looking happy. "I know what happened between you 2. That jerk-off hurt your feelings!"

Monica rubbed her forehead and groaned. "OK, how you find out about that?"

He tilted his chin up slightly, staring down at her like a father would a dishonest child. "Jin did. He said you came home one night cryin' about him." He shook his head shamefully at her. "Monica, I thought I told you to let me know if he hurt you."

The girl looked at the ground then sighed. [a/n: huge explanation up ahead] "Look...it wasn't how you think. His brother had visited his house one day while I was there, and told him some stuff about their dad. Then Kazuya plays this DVD his brother gave him." She ran her fingers through her ebony strands. "We look and see ourselves on the screen. Some spy workin' for Heihachi had video-taped us! So...Kazuya kinda panicked and realized that because of me, he had been goin' to public places and exposed himself. Now people are lookin' out for him. His dad's probably planning against him. But anyhow, he decided that we shouldn't see each other no more so that he would no longer expose himself."

She swung her orbs up to Hwoarang's. He wasn't upset anymore. In fact, he appeared to a little surprised.

"Him being exposed got something to do with his dad plotting something." She put her hands on her hips. "And of course, I was upset 'cause I like being with him. Anyway, he must've felt the same way since he called and apologized, wanting to see me again. Mind you, when I saw him for the first time in 3 weeks, he looked a little stressed and was glad to see me."

Hwoarang was now feeling foolish. "All right. I guess I overreacted..."

"Yeah, see? Plus the man took me to the Righa Hotel for 5 days to make up for what he did." Monica looked away, a shade of red creeping onto her cheeks. "He did a darn good job, too."

Still possessing feelings for the half-African girl, Hwoarang felt a pang of envy. Kazuya once again managed to sleep with his Monica...at least a few times during their stay at the classy hotel.

"OK, that last comment wasn't needed," he muttered.

The girl chuckled.

Just then, Jin came sauntering up to them. "Monica, how did everything go?"

She sent him a half serious glare at him. He smiled an apology.

"Fine, Jin. But you didn't have to run my business to Hwoarang. I would've told him myself once I got back," she chided.

"My fault," he apologized softly glancing away. "But he had asked how you were doing, so I had to let him know."

"Right, I suppose I can't really get mad at ya." She studied her 2 friends in mild surprise. "Despite all the mess that just happened, it's nice to see that the 2 rivals were keeping each other company today while I was gone! I never thought ya'll would be able to chill together and hold a nice conversation. Where's my camera when I need it?"

The men laughed.

"Nah, the truth is I came to see you, babe," corrected Hwoarang. "And Kazama was just being polite since I came all this way and you weren't here." He stooped to pick up her bag. "He knew the deal. If I ain't get the proper treatment, then Kazama would've got my foot up his a**."

Jin rolled his eyes, yet allowed a small chortle. Monica tittered and pushed the 2 along toward the house.

"Hwoarang, stop it. Now, let's all go inside. There's too many heads watching us."

The Japanese male furrowed his brow. "Too many heads watching us?"

He laughed, Monica and Hwoarang glancing at him and then each other.

"Nevermind, Jin," they replied in unison.

[4 Days later...]

Kazuya observed Monica, her head resting on his lap while he toyed with her beautiful hair. She was intently focused on the widescreen TV. A drama film played on the screen. A grim smile crept onto his lips. Tonight was the night.

"Kazuya?" she unexpectedly questioned. "When are you goin' to talk to Jin? He really wants to know who I'm seeing. Especially since Hwoarang knows and he doesn't."

The Mishima frowned a bit. "Uh...sometime in the near future, I believe." He smirked. "I know you're eager to get us together. And it'll happen, that I promise."

"That's good to hear. There are times where I just wanna tell him that it's you that I'm dating. It's so tempting..." She kept her eyes glued on the movie.

"I bet it is."

He began thinking about what Jin's reaction would be when he finally met up with him. There was a range of outcomes that could result. He preferred that at least his son would be indifferent. That was better than him being angry. Kazuya shrugged these thoughts aside. He had an important task to get over with now. He sighed.

"Bishoujo, how 'bout we get off this sofa for a little while?"

"Hmm?" she hummed, staring up at him. "What you got in mind? I hope it's good 'cause this movie was getting real interesting!"

He grinned. "Oh, I want to take you on a nice, romantic stroll. You up for it?"

Her light eyes softened. "Aaww. Ain't you sweet? Of course I'm up for a romantic stroll with you."

"All right, great. Go wait for me on the back porch for a minute. I have to use the restroom."

She sat up and shook her head. "Don't be in there forever."

He chuckled. "I won't, trust me. Now go on..."

She gazed at him skeptically, but stood and left out the room. He watched her for a moment to make sure she was heading outside before sprinting up the stairway. Truth was he was going to grab a pair of old gi pants.

After searching through his drawers he found a pair of black ones and hurried down the steps. He tossed the pants on the floor, near the front doorway, before walking through the other rooms towards the kitchen. When he reached the deck, she was leaning on the banister, gazing up at the star-dotted sky.

The voluptuous teenager made a contented sound once he pressed against her and wrapped his sinewy arms around her waist.

"Did I take too long?" he mumbled.

"Nah. You was pretty fast."

"OK, so you ready for that stroll?"

"Yup."

He let her go and pretended like he forgot something.

"Shimatta! I forgot I was supposed to call one of my colleagues about setting up a conference call next week. You mind continuing down the path without me for a minute?"

She frowned, turning around and rolled her eyes.

"Kazuya. C'mon, is it that important that you do that now?"

"Hai. It's a follow up for the meeting we had at the hotel."

[a/n: originally I had him explain that he had to turn off the tv and the lights, and that he was a stout electricity conserver lol, it was a lil lame so I figured I should change it]

She appeared hesitant. "..."

"When we get back, I'll make up for you waiting," he murmured seductively with a wink.

The girl grinned, cheeks rosy from the idea. "Oh, all right. But try to make it fast."

"Sure."

Monica jogged down the few steps and ambled along the pathway to the trees farther downhill. The martial artist watched her a little while. He was sure there were no dangerous animals around, especially with his home situated so close to the city. He turned into the house and swiftly started removing his clothes. After he was changed, he returned to the deck wearing the old pants and nothing more.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Kazuya thought solemnly, 'OK, here it goes...'

Monica stood behind a wide tree, alert to any sudden sounds around her. She decided to hide from Kazuya and surprise him once he came into view. The girl shifted half her attention on the house in the distance. The porch light spilled to the edge of the woods, but did not quite permeate the foliage. Her eyes squinted to see if the scarred male was standing on the deck. He wasn't.

'Uh-oh. He must already be in here lurkin' around somewhere. I better be quiet and listen out for him,' she thought mischievously, glancing about.

A moment later, she heard some leaves rustling a few trees away, followed by the sound of something dropping onto the ground. A slight breeze blew. She jumped a bit and let out a soft gasp, heart skipping a beat. Swiftly, she turned to the sound to identify what could have caused it. Unfortunately, there was barely any light, so she had trouble seeing through the blanket of darkness. Whatever it was, sounded like it was heavy. She wasn't sure if it was a tree branch or an animal.

'Kazuya, why would you let me come down here by myself if there's animals in this place?!' she thought angrily.

The girl stood listening with baited breath for anymore noises. A whole minute passed without any further disturbances. Just before she began to relax, a bass-filled, eerie voice rang in her ears.

**"What are you doing out in the woods? This is not a safe place for a woman to be wandering alone."**

A startled sound emitted from her throat as she whipped around in the voice's direction. She spotted a large outline of...someone standing against a tree about 10 meters away.

"Wh-who's there?!" she called, sounding uneasy.

The person cackled, the resonance sending chills down her spine. Why did it sound familiar?

**"In a sense, you already know me. But I am referred to as 'Devil',"** the figure responded, almost in a teasing tone.

Monica was completely bewildered at the name. People actually called him that? Devil? Maybe this person did something in the past that earned him the name. Oh yeah, she was in treacherous territory. Fear started building up inside her, yet she couldn't let him know she was afraid.

"Devil, huh? Strange name for a strange guy. Why don't you stop hidin' and let me see you."

**"As you wish, girl."**

The American observed the large figure move from its position and soon saw 3 red dots emerge out of the darkness. What were they? Judging from their location on the figure, 2 looked to be his eyes. And the third...she wasn't too certain. Her stomach did a flip. A shaky hand raised to her open mouth. Talk about a nightmare come true!

"Oh my God!" she whispered nervously, taking a step back.

Devil laughed nefariously at her. **"What is the matter? I can smell your fear and you did not even see me yet."** It took a couple steps toward her. **"I will allow you to see me clearly..."**

Quickly a burst of violet flames erupted around its body, partially lighting up the small area surrounding him. A smirk was etched on his face, which was purple, including the rest of his body. Covering his legs were a pair of worn black pants. On his forehead, a scarlet jewel of some sort faintly glowed. Horns stuck out from its unruly spiked hair. Behind him were a set of great bat-like wings and a long tail that swished through the air occasionally. His limbs ended in claws [a/n: just for the record, I had it so that the demon wouldn't have the scar that Kazuya has, otherwise it wouldn't have made sense for Monica to not connect the dots. That scar is just too unique.]

Monica's eyes grew to the size of saucers. Her heart rate virtually tripled. It was...a demon! No wonder people called it Devil! Still, she could not believe a demon was standing before her! She heard of them in the Bible, and saw a few in movies, but never in person!

Currently, Devil resumed approaching, crimson eyes fixed on her. At first, all the girl could do was stare at him. He was terrible and magnificent at the same time.

As he got closer, she could nearly feel the evil seeping out of him and cringed slightly. Her fear transformed into horror, clutching at every fiber of her being. She backed up into the tree she had been standing near, trembling. The girl wanted to distance herself from this creature. Her instincts were screaming for her to run away and fast!

Finally, she let out a blood-curdling shriek and raced through the woods, or so she thought. Her eyes were squeezed shut, legs were pumping wildly, yet she did not feel any wind blowing over her nor the ground beneath her feet. Confused, she opened her eyelids. The house was still far away and she was not even out the woods. She stopped running and looked down at her feet. Her sneakers were not making contact with the ground whatsoever.

Now stunned and scared, the girl turned her head to look behind her. Still standing some distance away, Devil stared in amusement.

**"Oh no you don't, girl,"** he sneered in that inhumanly deep and wicked voice. **"You are not going anywhere until I _let_ you."**

With that, some unseen force pushed her roughly against a tree and held her here. She let out a startled cry and attempted to run, but couldn't move her limbs. She gave up and studied the demon. It was him! He was psychokinetic!

Devil stalked up to her, his tail whipping back and forth. A faint smirk graced his lips at seeing her tense up once he reached her.

Monica gazed up at him, unsure of what he'd do. She would have kicked herself had she not been paralyzed, but...Devil was somewhat...attractive? He reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on it. All of a sudden, she heard him growl and his nose twitch as if he were sniffing the air.

The beast growled because he could smell her interest. She was slightly attracted to him. It had to be his ghost of a resemblance to her lover. He ceased growling to scrutinize her. Using his own eyes, he realized exactly how comely she was. No wonder his counter part was so attached to her.

"Please, don't hurt me," she spoke up.

**"Feh! Do not worry about such nonsense. I will not harm you, you are mine."** [a/n: he took it too literal when she stated that at the hotel]

She raised a delicate eyebrow. "W-what? Yours?"

The demon chose not to answer. His wings partially encircled the tree she was against, blocking her view of anything else, as he bent and sniffed her neck. The girl turned her face away from him, but he didn't mind that much. He was too absorbed in her scent.

Monica would have smiled at his purring had she not been so afraid.

Tentatively, he pressed his lips on her warm skin, trialing them up her throat to her jaw. There, he nipped at the skin and soothed it with a slow press of his lips once more. Her eyes widened in muted horror as his tongue flicked out, sliding back down her neck to her collarbone.

"Wh-what are...you doing?" she whispered shakily.

Again, the beast didn't answer her question, nuzzling his nose into the nook where her shoulder and neck met.

"S-stop."

The demon mumbled something against the sensitive base of her throat, inadvertently tickling her a bit. Monica didn't have time to decipher his words before she cried out in pleasured shock, his mouth suckling away at her pulse point. Low growls rumbled in his chest and vibrated across her skin where his mouth was latched.

"Éno'eéh!"

Her renewed struggling actually broke his hold briefly, due to him being so immersed in tasting and scenting her. Her hands were able to shove him away from her person. Unfortunately, her neck burned as Devil's canines were forcibly dragged away, leaving bloody welts in their wake. He released a short, displeased growl that was much louder than the previous. The blushing American, now fully paralyzed again, stood staring at him with a mixture of fear and confusion. Her chest heaved and her heart was thudding loudly as adrenaline and a rising amount of something else she refused to admit, stormed through her body.

When he raised his now brightly glowing orbs to her own, they were burning with a dark, animalistic possessiveness. All the while, he was licking his lips ravenously as he savored the remnants of blood in his mouth. The creature's mind was now hazy and running on predator mode, automatically preparing to launch himself back against her to finish what he started. Fortunately, he realized what he was doing and ceased. After he composed himself somewhat, he backed away a little, his nose assaulted with that spicy scent he knew. It made the corner of his lips lift into a silent snarl, revealing one of his canines. His eyes fastened onto her rapidly beating pulse along her throat and the welts he accidentally left.

**"Little mortal...you do not know how greatly you tempt me," **he growled out, resting his claw-tipped fingers on the side of her face.

He skimmed them mindfully down over her throat, using his claws by then, until they ran over her chest. She went rigid, shutting her eyes and hoping he wouldn't use those talons on her.

The demon desired her. He had raped a few human women before he came across his counterpart, but with this girl it was different. He wished to make her his own, because she proclaimed to be his.

Sensing his other side nagging him, he withdrew his hand with a scowl and stepped back. What a killjoy! He cut off his psychic hold.

**"Go! Lest I decide to throw you to the ground and make you _writhe_ beneath me..."** the demon commanded, eyes intensifying and taking on a feral look.

Monica stood staring at him in a mixture of apprehension and mild surprise to his words, ere fleeing.

'Thanks for giving up your selfishness,' Devil thought to his other half sarcastically. 'Had your power over me not been strong, I would have taken her without hesitation anyway.'

'Hmph. Just get to the house quickly.'

The beast spread his enormous wings and shot into the air with god-like speed.

The teenage American flew onto the backporch, screaming, "Kazuyaaa! Oh my God! Help me!"

Kazuya came jogging into the kitchen, phone in hand, appearing very surprised. Instead of the old black gi pants, he had on his kakis and wifebeater that he wore before.

"Doshitano?! Are you OK?!" he interrogated, concern in his voice.

She ran into his arms and buried her face in his hard chest. For a moment, she stood trembling and panting.

"De...demon! It's...in the woods!"

"Nani? Youkai?" he asked, peering over her out the door.

"Y-yeah." she gazed up at him, her honey eyes wide with fear. "He said people call him 'Devil'." She took deep, relaxing breaths before continuing. "I never been so scared in my life! I never thought I'd see a-a demon in person!"

Kazuya's mouth was set in a straight line. "Did he hurt you?" he probed, glancing down at her neck.

She shook her head. "No, at least not intentionally. I pushed him away while he was tryin' to give me a hickey, or something of the sort. But..." Her face contorted to bafflement. "He said I was his. Whatever that meant."

The Japanese man quirked an eyebrow. "His?! Apparently he doesn't know you're my woman. D*** youkai." He frowned as he stared out at the distant trees. "From now on, we'll have to steer clear of the woods at night. Demons are tricky and powerful creatures." His hand rubbed her upper back. "You're lucky he didn't harm you."

"Yeah. More like blessed!" she agreed.

Seeing the beast's red, blazing eyes in her mind, she broke from her boyfriend and closed the back door. Her ears picked up the martial artist's faint scoff.

"Let's go back to the living room, if it'll make you feel better. I was just about to come out, so I had turned the lights off..."

Smiling, she pursued him into the darkness of the room. It was so dark, she lost him.

"Kazuya? Where are you? Turn the light on, would you?"

She stood listening for any movements or footsteps, but it was quiet. Too quiet.

"Kazuya?" she called uncertainly. No answer.

Unexpectedly...a pair of arms locked around her and male voice yelled, "Grrrraaaahhh!"

Monica jumped and let out a frightened shriek. A hearty laugh followed her outburst. It was only the scarred fighter. She scowled and whirled around, landing a punch on his shoulder. His laughter eased up at the contact.

"You actually are kind of strong," he half-laughed. "All that strength training is helping a lot!"

"It's not funny, man! You tried to give me a heart-attack!" she scolded.

He quieted down and put his arms back around her.

"I couldn't resist," he said, brushing his lips over her forehead. "But tell me...what did the demon look like?"

"Can you turn the light on first?"

The Mishima sighed but led her over to the lamp, where he turned it on.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

She strolled over to the sofa and sat down. Her lover joined her, gazing at her expectantly. Her brow furrowed at his expression.

"What?"

"You going to answer my question or what?"

"Aight, fine." She took a deep breath then let it out. "Devil was purple...huge wings and a tail. He had 2 horns and dark hair. He practically reeked of evil." She twirled her tresses. "The scariest thing about him was his eyes. They was bright red and it seemed like they stared right through me..." A shudder rippled through her. "I was so shook, but for a minute all I could do was stare at him. Oh yeah...he had what looked like a jewel in his forehead too." Her head tilted a bit. "I wonder what that's for."

Kazuya's eyes narrowed in thought. "I'm guessing it's for his powers." He shrugged. "At any rate, this sounds like the same one I've heard through rumors making appearances all over Japan. Was he taller than me?"

"Oooh...yeah, at least a few inches taller, I think."

He nodded. "Yes. That's him all right. He had injured a few people he had come across. It's surprising that he didn't do the same thing to you."

Monica gulped. Yes, Jesus certainly loved her and was looking out for her, even if she wasn't the perfect Christian. Perhaps Devil was somewhat attracted to her. She recalled the hazy lust in his eerie eyes and the low growls. Was it possible demons could...do that with humans?

Her mind shifted to the not-so-lucky scenario. What if the demon did hurt her? She winced inwardly. Devil had some impressive claws. They were about 2-3 inches long, with slightly curved tips. They could do some serious damage. When he skimmed his talons down her neck, she could still feel how cutting they really were despite how gentle he was. If he had chosen to harm her, she would probably be bleeding out on the forest floor about now. No doubt Kazuya would be absolutely mortified and riddled with crushing guilt if he had found her like that. Speaking of Devil, she should tend to the welts...

Meanwhile, aforementioned man sat observing different emotions flit across her visage. She was pondering about something. Most likely it was his other side. It was a good thing he didn't have to constantly bring the demon under control. In fact, it was only when Devil wanted to mark her (d*** animal) that he put his foot down. The demon had no intention of harming the girl at all. The main thing he wanted to do was something only Kazuya himself could.

Once the young woman had took off, Devil sped over the house and landed on the front porch. The door was left unlocked, so he flung the door open and locked it shut. From there, Kazuya took over and gained control again; that time Devil did not resist. Not missing a beat, the Japanese took off the worn pants, tossed them behind a chair in the den and quickly changed back into this original clothes. To make it appear as though he had been chatting on the phone as planned, he grabbed it off the living room table. By the time Monica made it to the deck, he was on his way back to the kitchen. Perfect timing!

Through the whole scenario he took care to look surprised, effectively hiding his knowledge of the demon. Monica never suspected a thing.

He smiled faintly at his achievement. And now that phase 1 was done, he just had to figure out a day where he could show and tell his secret. After that, it will be up to Monica to decide if she could accept him—dark side and all. Should she reject him, then he'll never see her again and realize that people will always regard him as some outcast as he was during his childhood and teen years. From there, he would simply find out a way to unify Devil with himself at G Corp. Once that will be accomplished, nothing will stand in his way of taking over the Mishima Zaibatsu and getting rid of his low-life father. No, he didn't exactly wish to take over the Earth, yet he did want to control the largest financial empire.

Presently, Kazuya heard the television switch on. His dark-skinned date lied her head on his lap and swung her legs up on the sofa (which he was grateful that she removed her sneakers). She then flipped her onyx tresses all over his lap, the familiar, pleasant smell of Argan oil from her hair products floating up to his nostrils.

"C'mon, Kazuya. Run your fingers through my hair please," she ordered, reminding him of a spoiled child. "Lord knows I could use some relaxation after that episode."

He obliged and stroked her soft locks, every so often massaging her scalp. The male sighed then smiled weakly while he studied her and noticed absently that she managed to clean up her minor wounds while he had been in thought.

'Bishoujo...even if you don't accept me, I thank you for treating me the way I always wanted to be treated. You have picked up where Jun left off.' His eyes softened at the thought of his former love. 'Even though you are aware that I have plenty of money, you never beseeched me for anything...not even a candy bar. Everything I did buy you, I did because I wanted to. You deserve it. Not only are you my lover, you're my friend.'

All the while, Monica closed her eyes, savoring Kazuya's ministrations on her head. She was completely incognizant to the unguarded, affectionate gaze bestowed upon her.

To Be Continued...


	14. Unexpected Love: Ch. 5B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladies & gentlemen...we have a stalker.

_ _

_Next day..._

Jin and Monica walked merrily with the crowds of people to the Nataraj Indian restaurant. The sun was shining overhead, white clouds sailed across the sky. It was a lovely day.

"Man," Monica spoke up with a smile. "Tokyo got everything!"

Jin nodded. "Yes. Sure does..." He breathed in the warm air and exhaled. "Great day out here too."

"It is. Days like this make me so happy."

Little did they know, a spy from the Tekken Force had spotted them. His eyes squinted through the binoculars, noticing a tall, buff young man that resembled Kazuya with the girl.

The spy was sitting in a navy blue parked van. Putting down the binoculars, he unclipped his walkie-talkie from his belt and radioed in to his partner.

"Mr. Sage! The target is headed in your direction, she's about 2 blocks away from your position. And she is not alone."

An instant later, Sage's excited, curious voice rang through the speaker.

"Good work spotting the girl! Who is she with? Kazuya?"

"No. I believe it's...his son."

Sage became quiet for a moment. "His son? Hmm, interesting. What a coincidence that Kazuya's date knows his son as well. Mr. Mishima will be most pleased about this turn out... Over and out!"

The man stood casually in front of a small grocery store, wearing normal clothing and a pair of sunglasses, camera slung over his shoulder. A folded newspaper was tucked under his arm. After waiting almost a minute, he held his camera up to his face, pretending to be taking pictures, to scout for the American and Jin.

Very soon the pair came into view. It was a good thing the girl had tan skin or else Sage would've had one heck of a time picking her out of the crowd. He zoomed the lens in on the 2 and smirked. Sure enough, Jin was beside the girl, grinning at her as he listened to her chat about something. The boy was his bonus ticket. Surely Heihachi will pay him double for coming across his elusive grandson. He recalled hearing the old man talking about Jin possessing the "gene" also.

Sage returned his attention to the long-haired teen. She had now ceased blabbering and allowed Jin to talk. The girl nodded once then suddenly had a keen interest in the store signs. His guess was that they were searching for a particular place. He scrutinized her face for a moment, the bulk of his focus on her eyes. He had quickly developed a liking for them since the first time he filmed her and the former KOIF. It was a rare treat to see anyone in Japan with eyes that color—unless they were contacts [a/n: yes, amber eyes are rare. That's why I like them even more than green eyes lol].

He swiftly took a few snapshots of the friends then continued to watch them. A couple moments later, they stopped in front of a restaurant and went inside. Sage pouted inwardly and let his camera drop against his side. They wouldn't be coming out for a long time. Regardless, he will wait for them and follow. He had to find out where the girl lived tonight. Heihachi was losing patience and had demanded that the girl's whereabouts be discovered, or else Sage would be fired.

Abruptly his stomach rumbled in complaint of lack of food. He rubbed his slightly bulging belly and rolled his eyes. When was the last time he ate?

His eyes swung over to the Indian restaurant then back at the grocery store next to him. He may be on the job, yet he had to eat something! Jin and that foreigner would not be coming out anytime soon.

With no more debating, he hurried into the market.

*

"Mr. Sage, wake up! Jin and that girl are leaving the Kumedo!" Sage's partner alerted, jamming an elbow into the elder man's side.

Sage jerked awake and glanced around in confusion. "Wh-what?"

His companion sighed irritably. "The targets are out the bar now."

The other man sat up in his seat and gazed out the window at the bar. There, the American and Kazuya's son were just ambling away.

"Right," he drawled, rubbing his eyes. "I better follow 'em. Can't let them out of sight."

"What would you like me to do, sir?"

Sage glanced over at him. "You just be on standby. I'll give you a call once I see where the girl lives. From there, I'll give you instructions."

The younger man bowed his head.

Sage opened the van door and slid out the seat before grabbing his black trench coat. He shut the door and threw his jacket on, popping the collar. It was nightfall, and with his trench coat on, it'll be easier to be undercover.

He trotted across the street, far behind the unsuspecting pair and began his pursuit.

"Now is the time for all the fun..." he mumbled craftily.

* *

Sage rounded the corner, keeping a safe distance away from the girl and Jin. He silently prayed that they would not take anymore subways. Many Tokyo subways are known for being crowded. He nearly lost them in the sea of citizens.

The 2 continued strolling, conversing giddily. The spy realized Jin was the more alert one. He would occasionally eye any suspicious-looking men that came near the American and made sure she remained closed to him. After several attempts to keep her nearby, he settled for draping an arm around her shoulders. Nevertheless, Sage could still tell the young man was tipsy.

Another 5 minutes later, his prey crossed the street. Sage took the opportunity to check out the street signs and took out a small notepad and pencil. Borojuku St... [a/n: so I found out Tokyo has very few streets with names. They're normally numbers with letters!] Once he wrote the name down, he scampered across the street after them.

The middle-aged male surveyed his surroundings. Ah, this was one of the quieter, cleaner sectors of town. Neat rows of modern townhouses were lined on both sides of the street. Gardens decorated some of the small lawns. He liked this neighborhood already.

The 2 kept walking for about a half block then marched up the front steps to the house. Immediately, Sage halted in his tracks and dodged between to parked vehicles. This had to be the American's home. Jin wouldn't just...

"Oh, so good to be home," the young man yawned. "Don't you think, Monica?"

Sage's ears perked up at Jin's words. The house was not only the girl's, it was Jin's as well?! Exellent! Who'd ever thought the 2 were roommates?! Heihachi will simply love the news. And the girl's name was Monica. At last he found out her name!

"Yeah. I'm beat, man," the girl uttered.

Grinning evilly, Sage removed his camera from his shoulder and snapped a picture of Jin and Monica climbing up the porch steps and up to the door. The last snapshot was a close-up of the house's address number.

He waited until the friends went into the home before standing up. He could not believe his luck tonight.

Draping his camera strap over his shoulder, he trotted away once he was sure no one was observing him. He dug into his jacket pocket and retrieved his cell phone.

\- - - -

Sage's partner sat half-awake in his van, patiently waiting on the other man's call. He mulled over whether or not Sage encountered some problems.

As if to answer his questions, his cell rang, causing him to jump out of his seat. Feeling stupid, he answered the call after checking the caller ID.

"Mr. Sage? What's going on?"

"Mission has been accomplished, Kouga."

"That's good, sir!"

"But listen...there's a bonus. It turned out that the girl is roommates with Jin! And not only that, I've finally found out her name."

Kouga's eyes lit up. "That's fantastic news! You'll be in great favor with the boss!"

"Yes, I'm sure. Now what I need for you to do is meet me by the subway station on Mitsu St and 3rd, got it?"

"Yeah. See you soon."

Sage ended the call and smirked smugly. He couldn't wait to develop the film tomorrow...

* * *

Heihachi sat studying Sage's face. A slightly piqued expression was plastered on his aging features.

"I hope, for your sake, that you have something for me in that folder," he sneered.

Sage nodded sharply. "Yes, sir. I do indeed." He opened the folder and took out a few pictures. "Here, I rather you take a look at these first."

The old fighter eyed him, then snatched the photos out his hand. Once he discovered who the people were in the snapshot, the skeptical shadow lifted.

"...So, not only did you come across the girl again, you saw my grandson."

"Correct, sir. The American—who's name is Monica—just so happens to know Jin too. And from what I've seen the other night, they are closer than we thought."

Heihachi grunted. Next to Kazuya, Jin was the most sought after. His eyes narrowed while he continued to look through more photos. He stopped at the picture of the 2 walking up the steps of a townhouse.

"This is unexpected. I figured there was something special about this young girl--besides the obvious--for Kazuya to be dating her. But she's just a whore. She is seeing both him and my grandson."

Sage fought the urge to burst out laughing.

"No, no, sir. You've got it all wrong..."

A snowy eyebrow quirked and a death glare flashed in Heihachi's eyes as he stared over at him. Sage swallowed.

"I mean...they are friends. During the entire day the 2 did not kiss or even touch intimately." He leaned back in the car seat. "They are also roommates."

Heihachi appeared very interested. "...Roommates? But how could you tell?"

"Simple, I heard Jin say it was good to be home and Monica agreed."

The King of Iron Fist snorted. "That is not sufficient! That girl could just be agreeing with the concept of the boy's statement."

Sage couldn't help but feel unintelligent. But still...he had a gut feeling the 2 were living together.

"Yes, that may be a possibility."

Heihachi shook his head, nerved at the spy's lack of common sense. He checked out the last picture, which was a clear shot of the address. His frown changed to a half smile. Now, if only the spy knew the street name.

"OK, you've got the house number, what about the name of the street?"

Smiling, Sage took out a small piece of paper from the folder and read it: "Borojuku Street."

The old man smirked. "Good, very good. Besides the roommate uncertainty, you have done an excellent job, Sage."

Sage bowed his head. "Thank you very much, sir."

"However...as of now, I believe the house is only Jin's. While he does possess the devil gene, I prefer Kazuya. The higher, more pure concentration of the gene is in him. Kidnapping Jin can't draw the man out...so we must make sure that this Monica resides with my grandson. Once that is established I will make preparations for their abduction and plan a day to carry it out." He settled back in his seat, his eyes seemingly more wicked and mischievous. "I'm positive Kazuya will come rescue the girl. I will release her, but not Jin. He will also be used for his part of the gene. And then, everything will be mine."

Sage nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He did not exactly know what his boss meant by everything being his. From what he had been told, Heihachi needed the devil gene to form a compound that will help himself and others age almost ½ as fast as they do now. It will be a huge success and bring even more fortune to the KOIF..

"What do you suggest to ensure Jin and the girl are roommates?"

"Have your subordinates posted around the house to see and listen in on them. Two days should be enough."

"Yes, sir. I will do that tonight."

"Great. When I have Kazuya in my custody, you will receive your reward." Heihachi leaned forward and stretched out his right hand. "It's been a pleasure having you on the team, Sage."

Sage smiled and shook the other male's aging, yet strong hand.

"Thank you. I'll report back to you soon about the American and the boy."

"All right. I shall see you then."

The spy got up and opened the car door, feeling like the greatest guy on Earth.

♦

Sometime later that night...

"So, we're goin' to an opera?" Monica questioned.

Her hair was out as usual, but it had been curled into loose spirals. Shiny lip gloss was on her lips, faint dark eyeshadow and mascara framed her amber-like eyes. She wore a dark gray satin gown, with a sweetheart neckline, that came down to her ankles. The top of the dress was strapless. The bottom had 2 high slits on either side. On her feet were dark gray ankle heels. Her attire was simple, but gave her a sleek sexy appearance.

Kazuya nodded, never taking his eyes off her outfit. This was the sexiest he had ever seen her...with the exception of her birthday suit.

"That's right. It's at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater. Very nice place..." he replied absently. "Did I ever tell you how stunning you are tonight?"

She giggled, blushing faintly. "Yes, you did. Like 4 times."

He grinned sheepishly then sniffed her neck. "You smell good. What is that?"

"Oh, it's a fragrance from Victoria's Secret. It's called Very Sexy."

"Mmm, what a coincidence. It suits you well," Kazuya mumbled, brushing his lips over her jawline.

Monica smiled.

Her date was wear a black pinstripe suit. The jacket was longer than the usual ones he wore. Black designer shoes completed the outfit. He looked real sharp.

"Well, um...why did you tell me not to wear a necklace? I feel so bare without one on," the teen said, changing the subject before her boyfriend began to get grabby.

Kazuya pulled away. "Oh, yeah. That. I can't tell you now, it'll ruin the surprise. We are going to answer that very soon before we go to the theater."

She scrutinized him with a raised eyebrow, yet said nothing more.

About 10 minutes later, the martial artist pressed the intercom button to speak with the chauffeur.

"Anikki, don't forget to stop at the jewelry store."

"Yes, of course, Mr. Mishima."

A few moments afterwards, he turned right and then pulled over in front of some shops. He put the car in park and got out to open the door for Kazuya. The fighter got out, surveying his surroundings, before helping the demi-Native American out the car.

He led her into the esteemed jewelry store, passerby's gazing at them curiously. Once inside the store, a couple employees greeted them happily. Kazuya told Monica to stay where she was, then strolled across the store to the farthest counter.

Monica observed him for a moment before looking at some expensive watches. She wondered what the scarred male was buying her, but more particular, what kind of necklace.

Finally, Kazuya came walking up to her, hands behind his back.

"Bishoujo, turn around and close your eyes."

Smiling, the girl did as instructed. She felt her boyfriend brush against her and then a cool object laid on her skin, below her collarbones. His hands gently moved her lengthy, thick hair off her shoulders. An instant later, she heard some footsteps approach them and come around to her front.

"Open your eyes," Kazuya told her in a low voice.

The young woman did so. She found herself staring at her mirror image in a small mirror held up by an employee. He grinned widely at her and nodded a greeting. She smiled in response, then looked at the object resting around her neck in the mirror. It was a diamond necklace! The entire length of the necklace was diamonds, sparkling wonderfully in the store's lights. A loud gasp escaped her mouth.

"Oh! Kazuya, you shouldn't have! Oh my goodness!"

She watched him smile as he gazed at her in the mirror.

"Surprise."

The dark-skinned American gingerly touched the shimmering necklace, feeling so joyful and stunned. She could not believe he bought her something so expensive! The jewelry had to cost at least 10 thousand in the US! She shook her head, overwhelmed.

"K-Kazuya, I can't wear this..."

"Yes, you can. You need something like that around your neck. It's going to be lots of wealthy people at the theater and I want you to look even better than them with all those carats. You will blind them for sure," he encouraged smugly. "Look at yourself. Don't those diamonds emphasize your beauty? [a/n: sound a lil cheesy, but I couldn't really think of anything else lol]"

The man's hands traveled slowly over her bare shoulders and down her arms, creating goosebumps. Monica sighed heavily. She never thought she would be wearing so many carats. It was like she was dreaming.

"...OK. But, you really didn't have to do all this. I'm not that kinda girl that needs to be all glamorous, y'know."

Kazuya held her hands with his. "But I did. I wanted to." He lowered his voice to nearly a whisper, so the man holding the mirror couldn't hear him. "You've brought so much happiness in my life, Monica. Once again I am a changed man. This necklace is the least I could do to repay you for all the s*** you put up with."

His girlfriend's eyes became wet with building tears, but she blinked them away.

'Let's not get all soft!' she scolded herself.

But still, she felt so special since he said she brought him such happiness.

"Thank you..." came her hushed tone.

* *

2 days after...

Steve Fox ambled down the busy sidewalks of Tokyo, hands in pockets. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to return back to his homeland. The tournament had been terminated due to undisclosed circumstances. The Mafia that had been after him for so long, no longer sent henchmen to finish him off. And he had the mysterious blond, Nina Williams to thank for that. She saved his life by sniping his would-be killers.

Steve bowed his head in contemplation.

Nina. He had never met her before, but he felt some kind of connection the moment his eyes locked with hers. Who is she exactly? Why did she bother saving his rear end? Why was that Chinese cop after her?

He sighed. Hopefully he would run into her again in England and get some answers. But now his top priority was booking a flight and returning to Britain with his parents...even though they weren't his true parents. Regardless, he'll be glad to have everything back to normal. Japan was a cool place, but he had stayed in the country since the termination of the KOIF tournament!

Currently, a men's clothing store caught his attention, so he ceased walking to examine a few outfits on display in the store window. When was the last time he went shopping? 2 months ago?

Unexpectedly, a hand tapped his shoulder. He froze, holding his breath. Could it be one of the henchmen that worked for the Mafia?

"Excuse me," came a woman's soft voice.

Steve relaxed then turned his head to face the source of the voice. He was pleasantly surprised to see a foreigner standing there, an American from the looks of it. He was somewhat happy to come across an American woman his age. There were others he saw, yet they were all old enough to be his mother. This one was dark-skinned with ambiguous features. In her hand was a fountain drink from Burger King. Steve found himself smiling.

"Uh, hi. What is it?" he greeted.

The other teen's small grin grew as she studied him. "Are you Mr. Steve Fox? The famous British boxer?"

"Yeah, that's me."

The girl let out a short squeal of excitement.

"Oh my gosh! Steve, it's a pleasure to finally meet you! I'm Monica, by the way!" she exclaimed, reaching a hand to him.

Steve grasped her hand and shook it gently.

"Pleasure's all mine, Monica."

He released her hand.

"So...what are you doin' here? Taking a vacation?" Monica probed curiously.

He shook his head. "No. Just was on the—it's a long story." He glanced around briefly. "What about you?"

She sipped on her straw for a moment, getting the last remnants of her drink and then tossed it in a nearby garbage bin.

"I'm on vacation. Won't be leavin' for a while longer."

"Oh, all right. What made you come here?"

She shrugged. "Just wanted to go someplace different from the usual—not to mention I like some anime shows [a/n: couldn't resist lol]. Most people go to the tropical islands and all. And besides that, I got sick of being cooped in the States."

Steve smirked to himself. So, she was really was an American. She was a bit different than most other girls from the US. She did not seem prissy or stuck up. Wait, did she say she even liked some anime?!

"So..." she continued, sounding even more curious. "I've watched a few of your fights before. You got some nice moves, y'know."

He grinned. "Thanks." Grin still in place, he raised his guard. "Let me show ya how quick I am. ...Stay how you are. Don't worry, I won't hit ya."

The girl nodded, looking nervous and interested at the same time.

All of a sudden, the boxer's fists blurred several inches from her face and before she realized it, he ended the combo with a swift uppercut. The air whooshed across her face.

Monica blinked. "Whoa! That was fast! You threw like 12 punches in 2 seconds!" She shook her head. "Just think if I actually got hit with that combination."

He smiled then waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, I could never hit someone like you."

Steve crossed his arms over his chest, the strange trademark scar clearly visible to her eyes. Monica wondered how he ended up with such an unsightly mark. Compared to his, Kazuya's scar was nothing.

"Say," the British began. "What are--"

He was interrupted by a car horn. A black limousine pulled alongside them. Steve and Monica turned to the vehicle in mild surprise. Very soon the dark passenger window slid down all the way. A Japanese male with spiked hair eyed them, no smile on his face. Matter of fact, he appeared almost impatient or annoyed.

Steve recognized him. It was the Kazama guy, Jin...no, wait. It wasn't Jin, it was Kazuya. What could he want?

Before he could question him, Kazuya said, "Bishoujo...koi. We were supposed to be heading to the zoo, remember?"

The boxer narrowed his eyes and looked to the American. She was sulking. Kazuya was...dating an American?! Totally unbelievable. Most Japanese preferred fair-skinned girls, and yet this American certainly did not fit the bill. He sighed inwardly. He wouldn't have minded some female company for a little while longer. With all the uncertainty after the tournament, he was reluctant to go out and socialize, not knowing if or when he would run into trouble.

"Steve, sorry but I gotta go now. A certain somebody got impatient," Monica apologized.

He nodded. "Not a problem, Monica."

"How long you gonna stay in Tokyo? Maybe I'll catch you another time."

"I'm out in 2 days. Time for me to go back to the UK."

She seemed disappointed. "Aaw. Well, it's was nice talkin' to you," she said, grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"Yeah, same here. Take care!" he replied with a warm smile.

"OK, you too!"

He released her hand and nodded a farewell.

She strolled up to the car, where Kazuya got out and let her climb in first. As the fighter slid into the seat, he glared at Steve as if saying, "She's mine." In response, the other man frowned.

'Touchy dude,' Steve thought.

While the Nissan President started to pull off, he saw Monica lean over the karate fighter and wave cheerfully, flashing a pearly white grin. Steve couldn't help but smile back and chuckle.

'She was a cool girl. Too bad I couldn't meet her a while back.'

After the car was out of sight, he decided to enter the clothing store.

\--- --- ---

"You sure were eager around that boy," Kazuya grumbled.

Monica rolled her eyes. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

The man grunted. "There is no need for me to be envious over a mere kid like him."

She didn't believe him. She knew Kazuya was not jealous about Steve himself but he disliked her being very friendly with other guys and vice-versa. At least he cared about the company she was with.

Smiling, she scooted over to him and pecked him on the cheek. He looked at her, a bit of astonishment in his dark eyes.

"You know I only want you, Kaz," she cooed, rubbing his hair.

'Kaz? That's a new one,' Kazuya vaguely thought, relishing her fingertips gliding over his scalp...but she was messing up his hair. "Come on, onna. My hair..."

She sucked her teeth and stopped playing in his hair.

"Whiner," she said under her breath.

Missing the remark, the Mishima smoothed his hair down.

"I have something to tell you."

"Oh yeah? What's up?"

"I made reservations for a cruise. It's for 10 days."

"10 days? That's a long time. When are we leaving?"

The Japanese felt a little bad at the short notice, but he felt it was worth the trip.

"...Tomorrow. 1:00."

Getting excited anyway, Monica questioned, "Kinda last minute, but where we goin'?"

"Oh, there's going to be several places we'll be stopping at. The final stop will be Vancouver, Canada."

"That's what's up! I bet it'll be a lot of fun!" she exclaimed, pondering over the activities they could do. Maybe she should braid her hair so she wouldn't have to worry about it. Her thoughts were cut short by Kazuya's deep voice.

"I had been thinking...and I believe it's time to stop keeping Jin in the dark."

Monica's eyes widened at his words.

"Tomorrow, he's coming with us on the cruise. We'll talk about everything." He stared straight ahead, a blank glint in his eyes.

Monica laid a hand on his arm. "Are...you sure?"

He appeared to snap out of his trance and focused on her. "Hai. I am. He is my son after all...and a remnant of Jun."

His latter statement was nearly too low for Monica's ears to pick up.

She nodded. "I guess you're right. He had been nagging me about who you are." She twirled her hair. "So you booked a room for him and everything, right."

"Yeah. In fact, it's a double."

She quirked an eyebrow. "What? You got him a double?"

"Yes. You're going to be sharing a room with him."

"Say what? Why ain't I gonna be...in your room, with you?"

He looked away from her and out the window.

"I have my reasons. And besides, he might need to talk to you about us."

He knew exactly why he wanted her to stay with Jin. And that was because of what he would show her. Just in case she did not want to be with him anymore, she would have a room to sleep in and be away from him.

Monica studied him. Something was troubling him, yet she couldn't think of what it could be. She gingerly rested her hand on his cheek and turned him back to face her.

"Kazuya, what is it? Somethin' on your mind?"

He let out a sigh. "Yeah, my son. I'm not sure if he'll like the idea of going on a trip with me of all people. Let alone talk with me."

Monica sensed there was another factor but decided not to bother. She smiled with understanding.

"Don't sweat it. He'll listen, I'm sure. Jin is a good guy."

To assure him, she planted a quick kiss on his lips.

To Be Continued...


	15. Unexpected Love: Ch. 5C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cruisin'...

"Mr. Mishima, I have some good information to relay to you!" Sage proclaimed, marching into the office.

Heihachi put away his paperwork before acknowledging him. "Ah, is that so? Well then let's hear it."

"I am happy to report that Jin and Monica are indeed roommates," the younger man said, placing his hands on the desk.

The KOIF did not look pleased. "Do you have any proof of this?"

Sage smirked smugly and pulled out a small video camera and a tape recorder from his bag.

"I sure do," he replied, then set the 2 items on the desk. "My men were devoted to their task. Not only did they keep a steady surveillance on the targets, they got some time in to plant a bug on the living room window sill. This was executed late night, by the way, so the neighbors witnessed nothing."

Heihachi smiled faintly, gazing down at the camera and recorder. "Good."

"There's also some other interesting information on the recorder that you should hear. It turns out that Monica and Jin are going on a cruise of some sort tomorrow afternoon. The girl said that the trip will last 10 days, so this will greatly interfere with the abduction."

The old man's eyes narrowed. He did not like this. He was hoping to carry out his plans in a few days.

"I see. Then I have no choice but to simply wait until the 2 return home. I need time to make preparations. That night they come back will be the night we execute their abduction." His callous eyes returned to Sage's face. "On the day they return, I want you to be on watch and wait on their arrival. Tekken Forces will be on standby. Alert them once you see Jin and the girl."

"Yes, sir."

Next day...

"Was that limo your boyfriend's?" Jin asked curiously, eyeing the departing automobile.

Monica glanced over at him and smirked. "Yes. My soon-to-be revealed date. Nice, ain't it?"

He nodded. "Sure is." He noticed the girl walking away with her travel bag and followed. "I still don't understand why he invited me on this trip. It was nice of him though."

She shook her head. "At first I was doubtful about it, but he wants to meet you. I mentioned you wanting to know who he is a few times."

Jin scanned the seaport casually. "Really. Well, in a way, I feel special to be remembered by you."

The American giggled. "Oh stop it, Jin. You know I can't forget about you just 'cause I'm with my date."

The young man beamed at her comment.

"Thanks." He examined her hair. "How long did it take you to braid that, by the way?"

"'Bout an hour...my hair seems to be growing so long, it's almost touching my tailbone! I'm due for a trim. I'm gonna keep it braided the whole trip. Saves me the hair troubles..." Her voice trailed off upon spotting Kazuya talking on his cell phone near the passage way to the cruise ship. Wait, was he wearing baggy jean shorts, sneakers and an over-sized T-shirt? Once again, he shocked her by wearing something from their shopping spree. Great, now he wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb!

"Yes, I see, Monica," Jin sighed.

She broke out her thoughts. "Huh?"

"You stopped talking and was staring over at our ship, the Crystal Princess. She's a beauty, ne?"

Monica blinked and looked their cruise ship over. "Uh, yes. It is! Can't wait to see the inside."

He nodded. "Me too. So...where is your boyfriend? Is he running late or is he already on board?"

"Oh he's around and closer than you think. I'll let you know when we reach him."

They strolled through the crowds to the ship, Jin a little ways behind Monica. When she was about 20 feet away, Kazuya took notice and quickly ended his call.

"Bishoujo, you finally came. Are you ready for a week and a half of rocky sea travel?" he greeted, pecking her on the forehead once she reached him. "I hope you don't get seasick."

She smiled and shook her head. "Nah, not me. I would've told you before agreeing to coming on the trip, believe me." Her eyes briefly scanned him. "Somebody is actually wearing casual clothes again."

Kazuya tittered. "Well, yes. I wanted to be...comfortable." He crossed his arms, tilting his head a bit [a/n: he looks so cool and confident when he does that]. "I see someone has a new hair style again. How interesting."

His girlfriend grinned and ran her fingers over her braided hair.

"They're called cornrows back in the States. Convenient style to have when it's hot or you just don't feel like doing your hair for a while. You like it?"

He uncrossed his arms then grasped a few braided locks in his hand. "...Hn. They're nice. They make you look different," he mumbled, studying her hair with its platinum blond additions. "Yet I cant run my fingers through it anymore."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Well, thanks anyway."

Kazuya let her hair go. "So...where is he?"

Monica felt a twinge of uneasiness. It was time for father and son to come face-to-face. She had doubts of letting them meet, but it was too late for second thoughts. Besides, she wanted father and son to settle things between them...civilly.

"He's here. Behind me, somewhere..." She turned around to look for him. Her eyes grazed over the citizens and came to rest on a small group of people. Jin was among them and in fact, was the center of attention. Sighing, she meandered up to them. "Jin, what you doing? You know I wanted you to meet my 'secret date'. He wanna see you now."

Jin faced her and smiled apologetically. "Uh, right. Sorry, but a few fans of mine stopped me and asked for autographs."

The group of men and women—dominantly women—realized Jin had to go and said their goodbyes. The young man waved at them as they dispersed. He noted how Monica seemed uncomfortable.

"Monica, what is it? You look worried or unsure about something. Is it because of me and your boyfriend meeting up?"

She glanced up at him, smiling weakly. "Um, yeah. You'll understand why in a few seconds. Let's go."

Her roommate quirked his eyebrows, yet said nothing more, and followed her. They walked a short distance before Monica stopped and spun around to face Jin.

"Jin...this is who I've been seeing..." she told him softly, gesturing to a tall Japanese.

The young fighter looked up to study the other man's face. He froze. There stood his double-crossing, cold-hearted father. He hardly noticed his roommate stroll over to the shops to give them privacy.

Monica was with his father?! How did they get together?! What did she see in him? No wonder she was so uneasy about them meeting!

For a moment, all he could do was stand there and stare. It was such a shocker. On top of that, he did not exactly like his dad.

Kazuya meanwhile, was even more taken aback by how much Jin favored him. He was nearly a spitting image. Also, the boy's eyes were haunting. It was as if Jun was gazing at him with those brown orbs. Monica wasn't lying about his eyes.

He was going to speak, when he sensed Devil growing bold and restless. Now was not the time for him to interfere.

'Kazuya, your son shares a part of my power! And I am going to take it back!' the demon growled.

'No, you won't! I have to talk to him! I haven't had this opportunity for 20 years!' Kazuya retorted.

'How unfortunate for you, yet I have a mission to accomplish!'

Jin narrowed his eyes slightly upon seeing his parent's face morph with a scowl. At first, he believed it was aimed at himself, but realized Kazuya's eyes were somewhat distant and appeared to stare right through him. What was his problem?

All of a sudden, with a slow blink of his eyes, the Mishima's brown irises became a gleaming red. A small frown was etched onto his lips. He took a step forward.

**"Boy..." **he began in an inhumanly bass-filled voice. **"You possess a share of my power in your blood. I need that in order to have my full abilities. And I will be taking what is mine from you!"**

Jin's brow furrowed. This was not Kazuya talking. It was...the demon that inhabited his soul. Sneering, he dropped his bag and fell into a defensive stance.

"Oh, no you don't!" he snapped in his native tongue. "Not without a fight!"

The monster controlling his father's body laughed cruelly.

**"That will not be necessary."**

With that, he leisurely raised his arm, fingers spread apart. His eyes grew half-closed in concentration. For a few moments, Jin wondered what was going on, but soon he felt his demonic side start to rise. Anger and hatred began to grow. The demon was calling forth his devil gene!

The karate fighter gazed down at himself to see a purple aura, though faint, line his body. S***, if this keeps up, he was sure to transform...and in front of all the people. He couldn't let that happen. He gritted his teeth and focused on suppressing his animosity and ire. If he could do that, then the devil gene would simmer down. Unfortunately fighting against the demon's power was very difficult and he knew eventually the beast would win. Nevertheless, he trained all his willpower on calming the negative emotions attempting to spiral out of control and consume him.

"D*** you!" Jin managed to hiss at the spirit, who only smirked in response.

Vaguely, the younger male could feel his body tiring and sweating from exertion. Every passing moment he sensed his hate/anger growing and his willpower weakening.

'Give into your loathing and rage,' Devil coaxed in Jin's mind. 'Despise me! Release your fury!'

Jin tried to block out the evil voice, but failed miserably. Finally, right before the last once of control was snapped, he heard the demon within his father groan. Curious, Jin swung his eyes up at his dad. Kazuya had dropped down to one knee, lightning traveling over his body.

**"...Kazuya!"** Devil snarled in frustration.

The boy sensed his emotions settling and return to normal. His aura dwindled down as well. His parent must have gained control over his body again.

Very soon, Kazuya stood back up, a little shaky. His eyes were no longer blood-red as they darted around to check if too many people noticed the scene. Only a handful was staring at him quizzically. Once they noticed him looking, they warily trotted away. Relieved, Kazuya returned his attention on Jin.

Breathing heavily, he asked, "Are you all right?"

A tad flabbergasted at his father's concern and saving him from his transformation, Jin nodded wearily. Wasn't he supposed to be callous towards others? Even to his own son? Or was it all a facade to please Monica? From what he had been told by the girl, his dad was pretty fond of her. At least he was opening up to someone and treating her good.

As if hearing his thoughts, the American came trotting over to them, finishing up her ice cream cone. She glanced between the 2 men then at the strolling passerby's.

"I can tell it's a rare sight to see father and son together and talking. People sure were watchin' you." She smiled. "So, you 2 finished conversing? I'm ready o get on that ship."

"Uh, actually we didn't get to finish," answered Kazuya, gathering his belongings. "But we can pick up where we left off on board, once we get settled in."

He didn't want Monica to know what actually happened. He sneaked a convincing look at Jin to let him know he meant what he said, and hoped the boy would oblige.

Still confused, Jin nodded hesitantly.

Monica shrugged. "Oh OK. Cool with me." She ate the small remnant of her cone then said, "Y'know, I feel so much better now that you 2 met. It's like a weight had been lifted off my chest."

"I'm happy for you...yet you could have done it sooner," Jin spoke up.

The demi African girl scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well...I wasn't the only one who kept it a secret." She started toward the boarding area. "C'mon, y'all We're gonna get left standing here."

Kazuya glanced at his son before following closely behind the girl. Jin frowned slightly, more in thought than at his father, and snatched up his travel bag to pursue the pair.

'This still seems so surreal!' Jin mused, observing the 2 amble very near to each other and talk. 'My heartless father going out with...an American. With...Monica.'

He couldn't wait to have a talk with his father. So far, what his unworthy grandfather told him about his parent was practically the opposite. It did not make sense. Either his father was putting up one good front, or his grandpa was a huge liar. It could go either way...

* *

"What a shocker. My father actually gave us a room together. I figured he would let you stay in his room—well, suite most likely," Jin remarked, sitting on his bed.

Monica was already stretched out on hers, gazing out the window at the rolling water.

"Hmph. Don't remind me. I don't understand his decision. You're a big boy, you don't need someone to keep you company."

Jin smirked. "Aw, come on. You know you just love keeping me company."

His friend giggled softly. "Eh, you're aight."

They sat studying the scenery until a knock sounded at the door. Monica and Jin exchanged looks.

"Um, I'll get it. I'm closer to the door anyway," Jin said.

The girl nodded and sat up on her bed while the Japanese trudged to the door. He opened it to reveal one of the cruise employees. It was a petite woman with spectacles and a rather conspicuous gap between her front teeth.

"Hello, sir. I'm Kikyo...how are things? Is your room in satisfactory condition?" she interrogated, beaming.

Jin strove to keep his attention off her gap. "Hi, Kikyo. Everything is OK, so is our room."

She nodded. "Great. Well, Mr. Mishima requests your presence. He wishes to speak to you."

Hearing this, the American jumped off her bed and strode up to the door.

"Kikyo...Mr. Mishima only wanted to see him?" she asked in slight insult, gesturing to Jin.

The small lady smiled and nodded. "Yes, ma'am. He didn't mention a young woman. You a friend of his?"

The brown-skinned girl crossed her arms with a huff. "Yeah. And that was pretty rude of him to leave me alone in this room." She tilted her chin up. "Just for that, I'll be comin' along."

Jin's brow furrowed. "Monica, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean...won't he get upset?"

She scoffed. "Kazuya get upset? At me?" She shook her head. "Not going to happen." Her light eyes returned to the employee. "Show us to Mr. Mishima's suite, please?"

Kikyo bowed her head, still uncertain. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

The cruise ship employee halted in front of Kazuya's door and knocked. A moment later, he opened the door, disdainful expression glued to his face. The woman appeared even smaller standing in front of him. She cleared her throat as if uneasy.

"Mr. Mishima, your son is here but...there's a young woman with him as well."

Kazuya's thick eyebrows rose. "Young woman, huh? Must be Monica...very well."

She bowed then trotted away.

The son of Heihachi watched her go for an instant before stepping out his room. Jin and Monica were there, waiting on him. He nodded to Jin to acknowledge his presence, before turning to the girl. The young man returned the gesture.

"Bishoujo? What're you doing here? I called for Jin so that we can converse and clear things up."

Monica frowned. "Kazuya, I know that already! Still, you don't gotta act like you don't wanna see me." She pointed her finger at him. "And how you goin' to leave me by myself in that room? That was rude. The least you could've done was let me wait in yours!"

Kazuya scowled a little at her fuming and pointing finger. He had told her that Jin and himself were going to continue talking. He was about to defend his reasons, but kept quiet. Now that he thought about it, he could have let her stay in his suite while he and Jin settled things on the balcony. He knew he wouldn't like it if he were in her shoes either. No argument there, she had a clear point.

He sighed in defeat, scowl lifting. "OK, onna. Come in my room. We'll just go out on the balcony to finish our discussion."

Monica calmed down, yet she wasn't done. She wanted to prove herself to Jin.

"Right. But I need somethin' from you."

Kazuya folded his arms and cocked his head to the side. "Like what?"

Smiling impishly, she leaned up and brushed her lips across his. She knew he didn't settle for quick pecks unless they were in public or in a hurry.

She gazed up at him and saw the irritated look on his face. It worked like a charm.

"Monica," he grumbled.

The young woman shrugged innocently. Kazuya would have none of it. Immediately he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her for a good 10 seconds then let her go. He smirked.

"Now you can steal my room," he told her in a low voice.

Monica shot Jin an "I told you so" glance before strolling through his father's door.

Jin could only shake his head in wonder. Amazing how his parent could be easily placated by his roommate. She must have changed him somewhat from his icy heart. This did not seem like the same father his grandparent had talked so negatively about. And wait a second...they kissed! Whoa. Quite unexpected. Nonetheless, he felt a pang of envy thinking about it. That could've been him kissing the girl instead.

He groaned inwardly. Now was not the time to think like that. There were more important things to think about!

"Let's go out on the balcony, we'll talk there," came Kazuya's instructions.

Jin nodded and followed his father into the room.

\- - - -

Monica shut the balcony door behind them to give the men some privacy before closing the curtain most of the way. She then glanced around the huge room. Nice. Very nice. It reminded her of the Righa Hotel suite, only it wasn't quite as luxurious.

"Rich boy," she mumbled to herself.

She strolled across the room, checking out her surroundings with approval and then settled down on the loveseat in front of the wall TV. There was some Japanese martial arts training show playing. Monica shook her head. Kazuya was already an excellent fighter. Perhaps he likes to cover any skills he could use.

Switching her train of thought, she sighed. She then prayed silently for Jesus to open Jin's heart to his father. And that they would settle things to become a normal, trusting family. She was certain it was what Jun would want.

\- - - - -

"I cannot believe my wretched father told you those lies!" Kazuya barked in Japanese, clenching the railing of the balcony and glaring out at the horizon. "He's nothing but a deceitful old bastard!"

Jin bowed his head slightly. "...So you didn't do any of those things, huh?"

Kazuya studied him, his anger subsiding. "No, Jin. I never forced myself on your mother; she's a great fighter anyhow. We both wanted to be together. And she chose to return to her home in the forest to raise you there. She was never into the limelight and the attention I received from the public. I had allowed her residence at the Mishima Mansion for awhile until she decided to go, I did not force her out of my home." He let out a heavy sigh, focusing on the sky. "Secondly, I never denied you being my son."

Jin gazed up at him. For some reason, he knew his father was telling the truth and even...loved his mother. If anything, the only man he should hate was his grandfather. He no longer disliked his dad, now that the truth was out. But one thing nagged him...how on Earth did his father get resurrected?

"Father," Jin began slowly. "How did you come back from your death?"

Kazuya's jaw clenched. "...Well, after my father had thrown me into the volcano 20 years ago, my body had been discovered by this biotech firm called G Corporation. It's the best in its class." His eyes swung down to examine his hands. "They had restored my body and kept me in a suspended state for a little while until they came across my devil gene. The restoration process took years, by the way, due to all the damage done to my body. After I was fully revived, they questioned me about it. I told them all they needed to know and requested they find a way to unify Devil with me so that I may fully harness his power to eradicate my no-good father and gain the Zaibatsu back. Before they found a successful method, that idiot sent his flunkies to the corporation and had them destroy everything. He must have been searching for me." He stared at his son, who looked both interested and mystified. "So...you did not tell me much of your side of the story. How have things been?"

Jin looked away with a weak frown. "My mom and I had a pretty quiet, peaceful life in the forest. She taught me Kazama style defense. She did mention that you were my father, but you weren't alive anymore; that was pretty much it. When I turned 15, it was then that Ogre came and we fought it. He was...the scariest thing I ever seen. She told me to seek grandfather should anything happen to her." His eyes became wet, and even Kazuya felt his heart squeeze at Jun's fate. At least now he understood what happened to her. "During a point of time, I got knocked out while she kept fighting. When I woke up, she and the demon were gone. I was mortified of her loss, but respected her wishes to go to grandfather." His eyes hardened. "Grandfather took me in, fed me all those lies about you, and trained me in the traditional Mishima style karate. Life was pretty good, all things considered, for a while...I even made a friend there, who was a ward. However, after I entered the tournament and defeated Ogre to avenge mom, grandfather became angry about my victory. He was ranting about his plans being spoiled because of Ogre's disappearance. And...he had his Tekken men shoot me down. When they didn't manage to kill me, he opened fire on me himself!"

The boy's hands clenched at the memory.

Kazuya frowned deeply. 'F****** snake!' he thought viciously. 'Trying to kill my son over that insane plan of his!'

Jin continued, "I couldn't believe it. You can't imagine how betrayed I felt, how hurt I was when he did that. Anyway...just as I was about to die, I sensed this dark presence...this power grow inside me. After that, I remember striking down my grandfather and feeling so much anger and strength." He faced Kazuya. "That night I flew for hours, not even knowing where I was going. I just wanted to be alone. Little did I know, I ended up in Australia. I made a living there for a few years and trained in a dojo. I grew to hate my Mishima blood and even the fighting style. So...I unlearned it and took up the normal karate. And I had entered the last tournament in hopes of extracting my revenge on my backstabbing grandfather." He smirked. "Unfortunately, you beat me to it, yet even you had trouble."

Kazuya nodded, not looking that happy. "Yeah. I did have trouble. I had the upper hand for most of the fight until I started feeling a little woozy. The old man seemed to know what was going on and asked me how I was feeling. I knew I couldn't finish him off feeling like that... So of course, a minute later he managed to knock me out. When I awoke, some scientists were discussing something about me nearby. ...I wasn't in the ring anymore, but in a medical room. I didn't want to find out what they were planning, so I took them out and anybody else who got in the way, and escaped." He crossed his arms, frowning again. "I believe the coot put something in my water to sedate me."

Jin shook his head, trying to understand whey his grandparent was after his father. "Tell me, why is grandfather looking for you?"

"Because...he wants my devil gene. He has this plan to combine his genes with Ogre's to take over the world. My foster-brother told me all this." Kazuya scowled. "Now he has spies keeping an eye out for me, waiting to find a good time to strike."

"Grandfather is not only greedy for power, but demented," Jin sneered, glowering down at the ocean. "He has to be stopped."

"Absolutely...and I believe the time will come soon. He'll pay for all the harm he's done against me...and you as well."

Jin scrutinized his father for a moment, dumbfounded at his announcement of getting revenge for himself. This was the man he was on the verge of hating for the past 6 years?

"...Father, for what it's worth...I'm sorry. Sorry for doubting you, for not liking you, when you've done nothing wrong."

Kazuya appeared surprised at first, but then smiled warmly. "Son, don't take it out on yourself. You haven't known me for most of your lifetime so it's easy to believe what that idiot told you. I know I would start to think my parent was no good too." He placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Now that you know the truth, we can start over and have a real father-son relationship."

Jin looked down at his sneakers as if contemplating and then locked eyes with his father.

"Yeah...I'd like that a lot."

Then he did something unexpected. He grinned. Not a smirk or small smile...but a full grin. One that clearly reached his deep brown eyes. That instant Jin felt something he hadn't felt since he was with his mother. He felt complete. That missing link was found.

Just then Monica came sauntering up to the door, checking up on them through the curtain. She smiled at the picture she was seeing. Jin and Kazuya...son and father...were embracing each other. Deciding not to ruin the picture she was seeing, she left the door and went back over to the chair she had vacated.

'God is so good!' she mused merrily.

* * * *

Jin, Kazuya and Monica sat listening to the female singer on stage. She was singing a love song and had an awesome singing voice. Everyone in the room could practically feel the emotion resounding in her words.

Kazuya in particular, thought about the deceased Jun. The lovely, kind and innocent woman who was the 3rd to teach him love and lavish affection and attention on him. Even Jinpachi had not been as affectionate as Jun. He sighed, sensing a warmth stir in his heart. His mind stayed on her for awhile before drifting to her "reincarnation", for lack of a better word, Monica. Of course, she lacked Jun's innocence and nationality. Yet, she was one of the few to show him fondness. Still, the American did not know his other side as Jun did. Matter of fact, his other half is what helped draw Jun to him intimately. She wished to aid Kazuya in overpowering Devil and sensed the pain and sorrow in his soul. Jun was the main reason he had such control over the demon. Monica on the other hand, would be a different story. Either she'll be too frightened by Devil to accept him, or hopefully she'll open up and take him as is.

He broke out his train of thought to gaze at the caramel skinned girl sitting on his right. Obviously, she was too absorbed by the performer to notice his stare. Kazuya wasn't the overly affectionate type, so he rest his hand on her knee and gave it a light squeeze.

The girl blinked, then glanced down at it and faced him. She looked into his eyes, seeing the warmth there and smiled. He didn't need to say any words. She already knew he was telling her how much he liked her. And again, she knew love wasn't there...not yet anyhow, but it was not far behind.

In reply, she unveiled her emotions for him in her golden orbs. Kazuya smiled as well and held her burning gaze for a few moments before gently turning his attention back to the stage. His hand remained on her knee.

'Tomorrow night I will show and tell. Not tonight...I don't want to disrupt such a good evening,' Kazuya mused reluctantly. His smile grew unconsciously upon feeling Monica rest her head against his shoulder. 'Please, don't reject me.'

For once in his life, he was concerned about what someone thought of him.

* * * * *

"What is it, Kazuya?" Monica questioned. "Why ain't you letting me stay in your room tonight?"

She was sitting on Kazuya's bed in his suite.

"Because," Kazuya began, sitting beside her. "Jin's probably going to want to talk to you. That's why I had you 2 share a room in the first place."

Monica made a whiny sound and fell back on the king-sized bed. "But I wanna sleep here with you, not him. And your suite is better."

Kazuya looked at her, wanting to tell all right now, but kept his mouth shut. Instead he lied on her, feeling playful, yet romantic. "Well, I didn't say you had to leave right away."

For some primitive reason, the girl felt a little excited being pressed into the mattress by Kazuya's weight.

"Why, thank you, sir. I feel very fortunate," she cooed, running her hands along his broad shoulders.

"Of course you do. Who wouldn't feel that way being in my presence?" he boasted with a smirk.

Monica chortled lightly. "Boy, you're vain."

He nipped her bottom lip with semi-sharp teeth. "I know. And you like that."

Then he did something he never did. He tickled her [a/n: what did you think I was gonna say?]

She jerked and laughed, trying to wiggle her way from beneath him—which was nearly impossible. Kazuya grinned wolfishly and stopped his tickling. He wedged his knee between hers then grinded firmly against her once. She stiffened.

"I want to do something more, but I'm not," he murmured in Japanese.

Before she can ask what he said, he bent and kissed her deeply. She melted in his arms and returned the kiss. They continued to make out until Kazuya finally broke it off. The curvaceous teen whimpered in protest.

"Kazuya," she rasped. "Why you stop?"

"You'll find out tomorrow. Besides, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be too tired to move and it'll be nearly dawn. I want you to stay with Jin, not me."

Monica only blushed.

Kazuya smirked at her reaction. "I'll call your room to make sure he's up. If not, then I'll walk you there."

He got off her, something both of them didn't actually want. The long-haired girl clearly showed her displeasure on her flushed face, but said no complaints. If he really wanted her to sleep in her room with Jin tonight, then she'll comply [A/N: now you know how Kazuya felt all those times he couldn't get laid lol].

The ex-KOIF sauntered to the table where the phone was and dialed Jin's extension, his mind half-focused on giving in to the girl's wishes and ravishing her [a/n: something about that word...]. On the 2nd ring the phone was answered.

"Uh, hello?" came his son's cautious voice.

"Relax, Jin. It's me...Kazuya."

Slight pause. "Oh, what's up, dad?"

"Just calling to make sure you're still awake. Monica is returning to the room now, so meet her at the elevator on your floor as soon as you can."

"All right, no problem. I'll be there."

"OK then, goodnight."

"G'night, dad."

Kazuya set the phone on the receiver and smiled inside. It felt pretty good to be called "dad" rather than the formal "father" by Jin. At least one father-son relationship was working out.

He turned back to his date. "He's up. He'll be waiting at the elevators. Let's get going."

Monica pouted a bit yet stood up and followed the man out the room.

"Y'know, I hope you don't do this to me tomorrow night, Kazuya. Or I'll be heated," she mumbled once they reached the elevators.

Kazuya pressed the descending arrow. "It depends..."

She frowned at his back and kept quiet until the elevator door opened. "Well, g'night."

He spun around then placed a kiss on her cheek and worked his way down to her neck. He restrained himself from giving her a passion mark or even biting, no matter how much the beast in him pressed him to do so. "...Good night. Sleep well and I'll see you tomorrow."

She smiled weakly before strolling into the elevator. 'There's no way I'm gonna sleep well tonight.'

To Be Continued...


	16. Unexpected Love: Ch. 5D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets revealed!

Kazuya was standing in the office of the Mishima Conglomerate, staring out the window. It was a clear view of the cityscape. People down below were bustling down the sidewalk as they went about their business.

He inhaled with satisfaction. The financial empire was his at last. But...something was not quite the same. He scowled and looked down at himself. He had on a business suite as usual, but he realized he possessed large purple feet. Claws were his toenails. He was...Devil?

Surprised, yet pleased, Kazuya studied his clawed hands as well. Not only did he rule the Mishima Zaibatsu, he was able to unify himself with Devil.

All of a sudden, the office door burst open and he heard several footsteps enter hastily.

"We can't let you continue hurting other countries' economies! The Zaibatsu is becoming too powerful for our own good!" a man hollered.

Kazuya turned around, eyes narrowed.

"How is the conglomerate hurting other nations?" he questioned coolly at the government officials and policemen. "And the company can never grow too powerful. There's always room for improvement and growth...Japan is now the leading country of the world!"

Another official snorted and shook his head as if disgusted. "Do you all hear this—this...monster?!" he sneered to his comrades. "Obviously, he has absolutely no regard for the welfare of the competition or its citizens." Now directing his words to Kazuya, he said, "I thought you couldn't be any more cruel, you freak. We have no choice but to ask you to step down from CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu!"

The son of Heihachi growled ferally. "And what if I refuse?"

"Then we'll have to take you down...permanently."

At this, the police rose their guns, cocked and aimed them for Kazuya. The fighter chuckled coldly.

"You people are complete morons, you know that? How could you betray your own country?!"

He took a couple steps toward the men when suddenly they opened fire. Luckily, Kazuya remembered how powerful he was now. No longer were he and Devil 2 separate beings. They were melded into 1. He was Devil and vice-versa. He didn't have to raise a finger to defeat them.

The man concentrated his powers on the group, eyes flashing pink. Immediately, all the men cringed and cried out in pain, dropping their weapons. However, Kazuya didn't stop there. He increased the intensity of his psychic power, amplifying their shrieks of agony. They started clawing or grasping at their chests. Finally their chest cavities exploded in a gruesome, bloody display of bone, cartilage and flesh.

Kazuya only laughed carelessly at their horrible demise. "Fools..."

At that moment, Monica came jogging through the door and halted in her tracks. She glanced over the dead bodies and blood-covered floor in horror. Her light orbs drifted up to Kazuya, the horror being covered by disbelief.

"K-Kazuya?! I cannot believe you killed all these men like that! How could you do such a thing?!" she snapped wildly.

The Mishima felt some of his previous contentment of the men's deaths fade away. "...Monica? What're you doing here? I thought--"

"Just answer me!" she interrupted.

"...These guys thought they could just get rid of me by trying to kill me, for the sake of other countries. I couldn't allow that to happen."

While he talked, she made her way over to him. "Look at you...what did you do to yourself?" She gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Did you do this just 'cause I didn't want you anymore?"

For a moment, Kazuya didn't know what to say. He reached out to place his hands on her waist.

"Monica--"

"Don't touch me!" she cried in Cheyenne, recoiling from him like she was repulsed. "You really are him now! You're the demon!"

Kazuya's heart sank. This was the worst he felt since his father dropped him into the trench.

"Monica...onegai...don't leave me."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "How could I learn to love someone like you?! How?!"

With that, she turned and bolted over the bodies and out the door. The karate fighter bowed his head in shame and grief. He never felt this alone and rejected. Not even while he was a child. It was like his heart had been ripped out his chest and nothing was there to replace it. Just a big, empty cold space. He felt like he was the only person left in the world.

Kazuya lifted his head, gazing out the door of the office. The bodies had somehow disappeared, but he didn't really care. He didn't give a d**** about anything, not even himself.

With blurry eyes, he returned to the window. The people down below had vanished, making Tokyo look like a ghost town. Above, the once sunny skies had turned gray and rain beat down upon the earth.

*

Kazuya's eyes snapped open. He frowned.

'What a dream,' he mused in bewilderment. 'Hopefully it won't come true...'

He sat up, running a hand through his spiked locks. Today was the day he spill all. The path he took from that moment on lay in Monica's hands. Should she reject him, he'd go on the goal of overtaking Devil and the Zaibatsu. Acceptance...he was willing to put the Zaibatsu off to the side and settle down with the girl. He'll even spend time with Jin too. Basically, he would become a normal person...well, as a normal as a man with 2 sides could be.

He stretched and sighed before swinging his muscled legs over to the side of the bed. Today was sure to be fairly interesting.

* *

"Mm, this food is really good huh, Jin?" Monica asked after swallowing a mouthful of warm food.

Jin glanced up at her, in the process of stuffing salmon in his jaws. He nodded sheepishly.

"Mm-hmm!"

She laughed at him, then gazed around the large dining area for Kazuya. He was nowhere to be seen. The teenager frowned slightly. All day the man had been rather distant and quiet. Even when they went swimming and stopped at the Zen Temple, he was acting disinterested and impassive. What could be the problem? He wasn't even that affectionate towards her.

"Jin, you seen your dad anywhere?"

Her roommate swallowed before replying, "...Oh, no. I haven't." He studied her. "Hey is it me, or has my dad been acting a little weird lately?"

Monica scoffed. "You tellin' me?! Man, he's acting like he don't want anything to do with us."

Jin shook his head. "Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed...as you Americans say. He'll probably come around later on."

She scowled. "I sure hope so. I'm not liking his attitude at all."

After giving one last scan over the crowd, they resumed eating until they were full. Once they were finished, they started a conversation about the Zen Temple and a couple other stops they'll be making tomorrow. Meanwhile, the band played soft music as people danced.

It was then that Kazuya happened to show up.

"Hey, dad. Where you been?" Jin greeted in Japanese.

Kazuya shot a glance at a not-so-happy American, then answered in the same tongue, "I've been talking to a business associate. It was a very important issue to discuss. ...Somebody looks upset with me."

Jin smirked. "Yeah, she is. Why were you acting so weird today?"

Kazuya suddenly appeared uneasy. "Just a second. I think we should discuss this privately. Too many people around..." He turned to Monica. "Forgive me, I had business matters to tend to. How was the food?" he said in English.

Monica sighed. "I hope you don't leave us like that again. The food was very good, thanks for asking," she replied flatly.

Her boyfriend leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Come on, don't be mad. I wouldn't have left if it wasn't important. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tell Jin something."

She huffed. "I know you ain't leaving me for another hour!"

He shook his head. "No, not at all. Only for 5 minutes. I promise."

His date crossed her arms. "OK, fine. I'll hold you to it."

Kazuya bowed his head in subservience, then looked at Jin and walked away. Jin got up and followed with a curious expression.

Once they were safely away from the crowd, Kazuya stopped and faced his son.

"All right, if you really want to know...I'm going to inform her about my other side. About Devil."

Jin's mouth opened. "Wha? You're...actually gonna tell her?"

Kazuya nodded grimly. "She has to know. Now that G Corporation has been rebuilt, they have planned a day I can go in for tests to unify myself with Devil. Once that is done, I'll get my revenge. But...should Monica still want to be with me, I will forget about that and stay with her."

"Seriously? You'll do that for Monica?"

His father looked down. "...Yes. She's that significant, Jin. I don't know if you've noticed, but she is much like Jun."

Jin frowned in thought. Well, they didn't really look alike. But they were both nice, caring and managed to get through to his father and change him. Didn't seem like they had a lot in common.

"I...guess you're right."

Kazuya scoffed inwardly. 'He doesn't see it yet.' "Well, I'm going to take her back to my suite now and tell all. You can go to your room and rest there. Should she return to the room, you'll know she refused me. That's the main reason why she is sharing a room with you. She will be away from me, if she is too afraid."

Jin nodded solemnly and stared into the dining area where his roommate sat waiting. He could see a Hispanic woman holding a conversation with her. He wasn't sure how Monica would react. For his father's sake, he hoped she'd accept him, even though part of him still wished the girl was his.

"Good luck, dad," he wished softly, before strolling away to his room.

Kazuya watched him go, somewhat unsure. Why did Jin seem...envious? He shrugged it off. Maybe he was just as unsure as himself.

Casting the idea aside, he strode into the spacious room to the girl.

* * *

"All right, here we go. The moment of truth... What you gotta tell me?" Monica probed, sashaying into Kazuya's room with a dramatic air.

He watched her rear for a moment, then shut the door. "You might want to sit down for this one. By the way, did I tell you how nice you look in that dress?"

"No, but thanks," she answered and sat down on the couch. "This must be real serious."

"Yeah. It is. And it may or may not alter our relationship." He ambled over in front of her, a serious demeanor on his visage. "I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'll tell you straight forward."

Monica sensed how fidgety he was. "...OK. Go on."

Kazuya sighed. "Monica, I don't know if Jin ever hinted at this...but...I'm not simply who you see now. There's another part of me that lies hidden. You have seen it one time."

The brown-skinned woman's brow furrowed. "...What do you mean exactly? You some psychotic killer or somethin'?"

He scoffed. "No. What I mean is I have a dark half. Do you remember the demon you saw in the woods?"

"Yeah?"

The Japanese looked away. "That demon is within me."

Monica only blinked and gazed at him. Abruptly, she burst out laughing.

"Kazuya...what is this, some kinda joke?"

"Iie, onna. It's not a joke. Devil inhabits my soul. Ever since my father let me fall into that trench, he has been a part of me. While I lay bleeding, the demon appeared and asked me if I want to live and get revenge on my father for trying to kill me." He shook his head. "I was only a 5 year old child, so I didn't think of the consequences. I said yes and he...entered my soul and healed my mortal wound. At first, I enjoyed the increased strength and stamina from the devil gene. But as I grew older, I began to get tired of the demon always nagging me in the back of my mind, trying to control me. And by then, I realized I had sold my soul to him. I could never get it back."

The girl's disbelieving smile vanished. Everything was starting to click together. The glowing red eye...the slight resemblance between the demon and Kazuya. Yes, that was who Devil favored—Kazuya. His survival of the drop off the cliff...the foolish thing he did at age 5...his inhuman strength...even Jin's story about the "gene"! Devil's presence explained everything.

She placed her face in her hands. Why couldn't she believe it though? It was like her brain absolutely refused to accept the story as fact. Such accounts were rarely heard of. Was there a small possibility Kazuya was lying? No, he wouldn't lie in her face like this.

The girl stared up at her date. "Kazuya," she began slowly. "I...want to believe you, but I just can't. It's so far-fetched."

Something resembling pain flashed across his attractive features. He bowed his head.

"I was afraid it would come down to this. But very well, if you still can't believe me, I'll show you the truth."

He tossed his suit jacket off and let Devil take over.

Monica continued to observe him uncertainly. Soon, much to her shock, he slowly opened his blazing red eyes. Her mouth fell ajar. It was the same Kazuya from her dream!

Devil-Kazuya noticed her stunned face and smirked wickedly. **"So, _Monica_, are you starting to believe now?" **he questioned in a very deep voice. He seemed to be teasing her.

The American's heart rate jumped a few notches. This was insane. Devil was in Kazuya's body after all? She was too astounded to speak.

Devil-Kazuya continued, **"Would you like to see the real me?"**

Waiting for no reply, he immediately changed into his true form in a burst of lightning. Before her stood the purple-skinned demon she came across in the woods. As before, he still was as evil, yet breath-taking.

Monica stood up out her seat. Fear settling in her gut, she scrambled around the couch and quivered.

"N-no..."

Devil grinned predatorily. **"No? No what?"** He took a step towards her, and using his telekinesis, threw the couch easily aside. **"Are you saying no to Kazuya? I am a part of him whether you like it or not. You reject me, you reject him as well."**

Her breathing was rapid as was her heartbeat. She squeezed her eyes shut. 'Devil...is a part of Kazuya?' She lowered her head. 'I told him I'd never leave him, didn't I? I...can't turn my back on him now, right? But this demon, he's so scary! Could I really be with a man that has a demon living in his soul?'

When she opened her lids, Devil was closer to her.

**"Well, what is your decision? Kazuya has revealed me to you for a reason. He wants to hear your answer, girl."**

Monica blinked slowly several times, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She was so frightened, but she had say something. Who knows what the demon would do once he got impatient?

"I...I..."

Suddenly, she heard a small, gentle voice in her mind, "FRET NOT, DAUGHTER... HE WILL NOT HARM YOU."

Before she could question herself if she did in fact hear it, a vision filled her mind's eye.

She had a 3rd person view of people running around in a panic to get to the lifeboats on either sides of the ship. A large fire coming from the control room was accompanied by smoke, blazing into the night sky. The scene was made eerie by the red haze emitted from the fire's light. Then, she saw Devil standing at the base of the funnel with his arms crossed and an amused, nefarious smirk plastered on his face. A flaming, purple aura surrounded his form. Next to him, held captive by both his tail and the scene unfolding, was herself. Her other self was mortified, tears collecting in her eyes and her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

**"Look how they scamper about like insects!"** Devil observed with a condescending, yet gleeful tone. Still watching, he continued, **"Thanks to you, I'm back in control over this body. And now I will take my leave and get rid of that scum, Heihachi. This country will grovel at my feet!"**

He then turned her face to him, trailing a clawed finger from her neck to beneath her chin, a thin line of red following due to his nail cutting lightly into her bronze skin. Her eyes narrowed at him and her lips turned into a frown.

**"You don't need to worry, however. I'm keeping you with me, whether you like it or not; you are mine."**

His tail loosened its hold on her, so she was able to yank it from around her waist, earning a warning growl.

"No, I'm not goin' anywhere with you!" she cried, retreating a few steps from him.

As if to answer her retort, a flash of something with wings grabbed her in passing. For some reason, Monica could not see the figure, but her other self in the vision knew who it was and was surprised yet relieved to have been rescued.

A deadly growl rose above the screams and shouts of the passengers, as Devil glowered up at her rescuer, baring his sharp canines.

"You have heard her response, Devil," sneered the familiar, altered voice of the newcomer.

**"What an insolent---"** the beast stopped himself as he considered something briefly, calming down. **"No matter. You may look after her until I seek her out once things are going according to plan."**

With one last, promise-filled glance at the girl, he took off into the air like a shot. Cruel laughter rang throughout the air in his wake. The scene then whited out.

Coming back to the present, Monica quickly realized what her mission was. The Lord had just shown her what could happen if she rejected the entity before her. Meeting Kazuya and obtaining his affections was no coincidence. If she had to be Kazuya's nurturing anchor and Devil's steadfast tether, then she will be it. Besides, the man has been through so much, he did not deserve to be deserted just because she was afraid of the beast in its cage.

"I told you that I'll never leave you that day we went to the mall. So...I'm going to stick to that vow...no matter what you are."

Devil nearly missed her words. His heart skipped a beat and that instinct to claim her arose [a/n: Grrr baby, grrr!] He leaped over to her so that she was against the wall. Both of his arms were on either side to prevent her from moving away. His strangely appealing face was inches from her own. His keen nose could pick up her fear radiating from her pores, although it had diminished significantly.

**"Nani? Tell him again," **he rumbled in a low growl.

Obviously, he liked hearing her answer. His pointy ears twitched to catch the words clearly. He stared deeply into her orbs to ensure she meant what she said.

She trembled slightly, yet remained gazing at him. "I said...I'll never leave you."

Devil's excitement rose once he saw she was indeed telling the truth. Another growl vibrated in the back of his throat. Before he knew, Kazuya gained control and changed back to his original self.

The North Carolina native saw her boyfriend standing in front of her and visibly relaxed. He had a rare, gentle smile on his face and he seemed reassured. There also was a shadow of want in his dark eyes.

"You mean that," he stated in a low voice. "You don't know how happy and relieved I am." He briefly shut his eyes and leaned his forehead against her own. "...Arigatou-gozaimashita."

She smiled at him.

Kazuya pulled back, holding her gaze with his searing one, before stripping off his clothing. He suddenly started taking off her dress once he was done. She squealed a the unexpected removal of her clothing, a flush spreading across her cheeks. He then kissed her roughly, as he scooped her off her feet, carrying her bridal style over to his bed.

Once Monica was lying on the mattress, his hands roamed everywhere as if in adoration of her feminine body. One of his eyes became blood red while he did so.

After he removed her undergarments, he asked softly, "Do you trust me?"

She nodded, her eyes questioning him.

"Then let whatever happens, happen. OK?"

Again, she nodded and shyly brought her hands up to cup his face and bring him back down for a mind-numbing kiss.

* * * *

Kazuya woke up and blinked several times to clear his eyesight. It was daylight, but there was no sun shining. Thick, light gray clouds blanketed the sky. Hopefully it won't rain all day.

Yawning, the man swung his eyes down to his sleeping partner. He smiled a little, remembering late last night. He was impressed at how she put up with Devil sometimes managing to take control of him while they made love, even when the beast came out while he was asleep. Now that he thought about it, he vaguely recalled her getting out of bed and going out to the balcony earlier. Maybe she had wanted to watch the sunrise.

He sat up to get a better view to watch her sleep. She had an innocent expression on her face. Kazuya ran the back of his hand along her cheek and it was then that he felt...it. That extremely rare, yet somewhat familiar feeling that washed over him. It gave him a warm, fuzzy sensation then triggered a tightening in his broad chest.

The martial artist knew what it was. It was the emotion that made people do crazy things. It brought men to their knees, wielded power over any soul that it inhabited, could be viewed as both a strength and a weakness. It was that four letter word: LOVE.

He sighed softly. From that moment on, he was hers. Not only does she have his mind, but his heart and soul. He would do virtually anything for her. He'd buy her just about anything, move mountains...even kill or give his life if he had to. He'd gladly get down on all fours and kiss her feet if she asked—as long as it wasn't in public. His pride was the only thing that refused to give way totally.

Regardless, he admitted he had reached that stage with Monica that he had with Jun. And just as with Jun, he wasn't completely happy to have fallen in love. Of course, he was eternally grateful to be accepted unconditionally for who and what he was, but an emotion like love made him vulnerable. It was a weakness. An emotion that could be used against him. A feeling that may cloud his mind and cause him to make foolish mistakes.

He cut his thoughts short. He wasn't going to tell her that he finally fell in love with her. She'll simply have to find out by his actions.

Kazuya leaned over and brushed his lips over her own to rouse her from sleep. She stirred then turned on her side, mumbling something. Her back was now facing him.

The man grinned and pinched her hip firmly. That got the desired result. She jerked awake then lifted her head to stare at him out the corner of her eye.

"Kazuya?" she questioned in a sleepy tone. "Why you wake me up? I was havin' a good dream."

The Japanese smirked. "Onna, it's about 11 in the morning. Time to get up."

Monica rolled her eyes and let her head drop back on the pillow. "You could've let me sleep another hour..."

"You don't need that much rest. A grown man or woman can function on 4 hours of sleep. You had 7 and a half."

"...Well, we've been doing some exercise for hours on end. I dunno 'bout you, but I need more sleep."

Before he could respond, a knock sounded on the door. He sighed and Monica groaned at the interruption.

"Who is it?!" he half-snarled.

There was a pause and then, "Uh...sorry to disturb you, sir. But you had requested our Breakfast in Bed service."

It was a male employee.

The Mishima rubbed his forehead in defeat. "All right. Give me a minute."

He stretched and yawned before getting out the cozy bed to throw on a yukata.

"Tell 'em to go away," the girl grumbled.

He chuckled at her. "Don't worry, they won't be coming in the room."

His girlfriend just grunted in reply, closing her eyes. Once Kazuya finished tying the robe, he ambled to the door and opened it wide enough so he could clearly see the employee.

"Good morning, Mr. Mishima," the tall man greeted. "Breakfast is ready and waiting."

Kazuya smiled weakly, yet made no move to let the employee push the cart in.

"Sir...may I get through?"

"No, sorry. I'll get the tray myself. Thanks anyway."

The man seemed puzzled, but he guessed the scarred fighter had special company in bed. "As you wish. Enjoy."

With a bow of the head, he departed.

Kazuya studied the tray of covered food, then pulled it inside and shut the door. He wheeled the cart beside the bed and checked on Monica. She hadn't moved from her spot on the bed.

"Bishoujo..." he called.

No answer.

He mischievously smiled before smacking her rear end. She squeaked in surprise.

"What? I'm tryin' to sleep!" she snapped wearily, sitting up.

Kazuya sat on the bed near her. "Well, I see that. However, I have some food here and I'm sure you're hungry."

The American rubbed her eyes, stretched and focused on the cart of food. She could smell it.

"Mmm...that smells pretty good. Maybe I should stay up and eat."

Keeping the sheets over her nude body, she scooted over to him. Once she was at his side, she climbed onto his lap and immediately removed the cover, mindful of the hot metal. After saying her grace for the food, she reached for utensils and began to eat. Maybe he'll say something wise, but she was too hungry to care.

Surprisingly, Kazuya did not make a small complaint about her actions. He only chortled faintly, placing an arm around her waist. Still the lack of complaining was only dully noticed since she was concentrating on eating.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	17. Unexpected Love: Ch. 5E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L-O-V-E & abducted!

A little while after eating, Monica sat studying Kazuya as he went through his drawers for some fresh clothes. She herself had on her bra and string bikini. The dress she wore last night was partially ruined, thanks to a certain guy.

She observed him begin to saunter to the bathroom to shower. He must've felt her eyes on him because he stopped and looked at her.

"Nani?" he asked.

She took a fleeting moment to gaze into his eyes. They were missing something.

"Uh, nothing."

He shrugged and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Monica got off the bed and strolled to the chair and sat down. She switched on the TV, not really paying it any mind. Her brain was still lingering on Kazuya. Something was off about him, though subtle. Even his eyes were different. What was it?

She recalled many times when she looked into his dark, piercing eyes. At the beginning they were indifferent and had the evil undertones. In the middle of their relationship, the evil was almost gone and only appeared when he got angry. A little past the period, the indifference was occasional, affection appeared and the wickedness vanished. And now...affection was almost always there. The indifference was no longer directed at her

Aside from that, his cockiness had been turned down around her and he was very open.

She crossed her legs, absently twirling her braids. So, that was what was missing from his eyes. The coldness.

About 5 minutes later, the shower ceased running. The young woman decided to do something to get on his nerves to test him out. She knew how he was organized and preferred no toying around when it came to clothes and getting dressed.

Kazuya came meandering out the bathroom, looking ever so sexy. His muscled body was glistening with water, hair damp and a towel wrapped around his trim waist. Not only did he appear sexy, he appeared relaxed. He certainly won't tolerate horseplay. Perfect situation to test him.

Monica allowed him to get a few feet away from his outfit, then suddenly jumped up and rushed to the bed. She snatched up his clothing and dashed away to a safe distance. She stuck her tongue out to further taunt him.

"Monica, stop it," he told her.

However, a smirk was on his face and no real irritation carried in his tone. She was somewhat pleased by his tolerance. Somewhat. Yet, it could be a front. She chose to confirm his feelings by holding out longer. So, she shook her head.

"Nah, I don't want to. You want 'em that bad, come get 'em."

Kazuya tried to get irked, but he couldn't. That powerful emotion called love was preventing that from occurring. In fact, he thought it rather "cute" that she was playing around with his clothing. With his love for her being so fresh, he wanted nothing more than to be near her, touch her, please her...

His smirk grew.

"All right, so be it," he said, putting his hands up in defeat. "If that's what it takes to get my clothes back."

Again, no vexation was in his voice or his expression. But the real shocker was when he came charging at her to retrieve the outfit. She shrieked and high-tailed away from him.

He pursued her all around the room, cackling her and there, at times almost trapping her. She herself was having a good time until those special muscles started aching again. Her pace became crippled and shortly the Mishima managed to catch her.

The fighter pushed her against the wall and held her there, grinning devilishly. "Thought you could get away, ne?" he murmured close to her ear.

She gave a low chuckle. "Well, you just got lucky that's all."

The teen was facing the wall, so it was difficult to escape.

"Yeah, I'm sure..."

Kazuya pried the clothing out her hand and tossed them onto the bed. His eyes returned to the back of her neck. He moved her braids to the side and proceeded to give her another passion mark to join the few others on her body. She squealed and pushed herself a little ways off the wall.

"Kazuya..." she began to protest.

Not letting her finish or get away, he thrust her against the wall aggressively. Monica sensed a strange thrill spread through her at his brute strength. That raw strength was something he knew how to use well...and it wasn't to hurt.

While she was crushed against the wall, he sucked harder and slid a moist hand around to squeeze her inner leg. The man was irresistible. Before he got carried away, he forced himself off her. She spun around with heavy breathing.

"...That was your punishment for playing around," he breathed.

Monica frowned, but her face didn't keep it long.

"You little devil, you."

He tittered. "Not quite. But anyway, I see that I put a few other marks on you..." His eyes swept over her body critically, noting a couple scratches as well.

The dark-skinned girl nodded absently. "Yeah, I know." Her hand brushed over the other red mark on her shoulder, yet her eyes were boring into Kazuya's. His orbs were soft and...warm, almost like Jin's. This was not like the martial artist she remembered. "Kaz, we gotta talk about...your other side, among other things."

Kazuya dully made a note that she called him "Kaz" again. He sighed. "Yes, of course. I'm positive you have several questions."

He led her to the bed, where he started drying off. "So, what's on your mind?"

The girl could only gaze at his fully exposed form for a moment. Despite all the times they had sex, she blushed once she seen his impressive manhood.

"Um..." she cleared her throat awkwardly. "Why is it that you pretended you knew nothin' about Devil the night we was supposed to go for a walk? You could've told me then."

He was not looking at her, fortunately for the girl, so he missed the blush. He was in process of putting on his boxers.

"Easy. I chose to...introduce you two first before I officially let you know about my other side. That way it won't be too much of a shocker. Not only that, but the day after we would come back from this trip..." He rubbed the back of his head as if guilty. "The company I'm involved with would begin to run tests on me in order to unify Devil with me. If that happened, I could fully harness his power to get my revenge and win back the Zaibatsu."

The man stopped to put on deodorant and lotion.

Monica took the opportunity to throw another question. "The company? Do you mean the one that held the meeting at that hotel?"

He nodded. "That's right." Once he finished lotioning himself, he put on his undershirt. "But I thought about you. I decided for my path to rest on your choice of accepting my other side. Since you did, I'm going to cancel those plans. ...Had you said otherwise, I would've continued with them and forgot about anybody else—except maybe Jin."

The girl watched him while he stared into space. She felt a warmth in her heart.

"Kazuya...you're callin' off your plans for me?"

He bowed his head a bit, now staring at the floor. "Hai," he answered in a low voice. "You are important to me, Monica. Besides Jun...you are the only person who ever gave a d*** about me. Not just for my fame or wealth...but me. You make me feel so good inside. This is the best I've felt in many years."

Monica blinked. Did he really just say all that? She was...important. Significant. He put the highly sought after Mishima Conglomerate aside just for her. And she clearly knew how badly he wished to reclaim it. The warmth increased in intensity.

"Ooh, Kazuya..." she sighed, lifting her right hand and squeezing his strong shoulder.

He turned and gazed into her eyes. The affection in his dark orbs was so intense, it took her breath away. Did he—could he love her?

Simultaneously, the fighter was studying her. He had let down all his shields. His brain was wracked with anxiety and uncertainty. This young woman held his heart in her hands. She could effortlessly crush him more than his father ever did. She was able to strip him of everything, even his pride. The girl was capable of bringing tears to his eyes or forcing him to beg at her feet to prevent her from abandoning him.

Could he trust her completely? Well...yeah. He thought so. She was not the backstabbing, deceitful type.

Erasing the negative thoughts out of his mind, he put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. He then leaned in and placed the most tender kiss upon her lips. Her eyes opened slowly as he pulled back, becoming lost in his pools of affection. He brought her back to reality with his deep, rough voice.

"So...anything else?"

She blinked a couple times. "Uh..." Her mind was nagging her about something she had been wanting to ask. Oh, that's it. The rumors. "I've heard some things. They sound rather far-fetched, but first of all, did your dad really throw you into a volcano? [a/n: she's blunt but its funny how she just came out and asked it]"

The love in his eyes fled at the question to be replaced by something like disappointment and guilt. Now who could've told her that?

"...Yes. He did," he answered reluctantly. "I was the owner of the Zaibatsu then and I held another tournament. I did not expect him to show. He managed to defeat all his opponents, so he was to fight me in order to gain the empire." His teeth clenched. "Unfortunately, he beat me and while I was on the verge of dying, he dropped me into the mouth of the volcano we had been fighting near."

Monica's eyes narrowed and she shook her head while she scanned him over. "I-I don't understand. Why is it that I don't see any burn scars on you at all?"

Kazuya looked away. "Well...it may be because of G Corporation's restoration techniques. They are ahead of most other biotech companies. I don't know much about microbiology, but somehow the fluid that had surrounded me built brand new cells that prevented scar tissue from forming...except of course, the scars that I already had before."

Monica's jaw dropped. A hand flew to her mouth.

"So it is true! Heihachi killed you by throwing you into a volcano! And G Corporation revived you!"

He stared at her again. "Yeah, that's right."

A small knot of fear settled in the bottom of his belly. Fear. Now that's an emotion he hadn't experienced since he was a child. This time it wasn't because of his father. It was because of his newfound love. He was afraid of her leaving him still. That she'll be too horrified to continue to be with him. He couldn't blame her though. Even the demon inside was a bit edgy, yet there was also a mixture of determination and possessiveness he sensed from the spirit.*

'She will not break it off with us, I won't allow it...'

Kazuya scowled inwardly at the demon's declaration. 'Stop it with the nonsense. It's up to her whether she stays or goes. You cannot force someone to remain in a relationship.'

'No one else will have her but us. This girl will hurt you, whether it's now or later, and then I will have to take things from there,' came his firm, somewhat premonition-like statement.

The man scoffed in his mind at the reply. The beast was paranoid, surely.

Currently, Monica rubbed her temples, letting everything sink in. Kazuya had died and was brought back to life. Absolutely unbelievable yet...true. She heaved a sigh. Well, it was hardly any worse than what he had told her last night. She could learn to accept it, just like Devil.

She stopped massaging her temples and gazed at the Asian man watching her expectantly.

"Kazuya...you have a crazy past."

* *

8 days later...

"Thanks, dad. It's been real fun," Jin said. I'm glad I finally got to know you." A smile lit his face.

"You're quite welcome, son. And I'm glad as well. I feel a lot better," replied Kazuya with a small smile.

Jin bowed his farewell, as Kazuya bowed his head in return. He then left the limo's side and trudged up the steps to his home.

Monica remained at the limo to say her goodbye's to her boyfriend.

"Kazuya, thanks for everything. You never stop impressin' me, y'know that?"

He smirked at her. "For you, anything." He grasped her hand and kissed it gently. "I almost don't want to let you leave..."

She chortled, running her fingers leisurely through his smooth, spiked strands. His eyes became half-lidded at her strokes.

"Almost, huh?" she teased. "That ain't good enough."

Before she could get her hand back, he seized it again. She eyed him.

"You should know what that does to me at times," he drawled. A hazy glare was in his eyes. He placed her hand on his crotch. "Why don't you come over? Just for a few hours. I want to try something."

She blushed. "M-maybe another night, sure. But right now, I'm kinda sleepy."

He grinned and let her go, still disappointed. "OK, then. If you're sleepy, I"ll let you get some rest. Goodnight, Bishoujo."

"G'night. Thanks again," she farewelled, backing out the window with a smile.

"Anytime."

He ordered the chauffeur to drive and the car pulled off. Monica stood watching it go, wondering in the back of her head what Kazuya had wanted to try out.

* * *

Jin was lying on his back on the bed, thinking about the cruise they went on. A lot happened on that trip...most of which he liked. After his father had told Monica about his other side, he had no choice but to tell her about his transformation. She took the news fairly well, even though she chided him about not just telling her when he told her about the gene. But, would she have wanted to continue living with him if he had, so early in their friendship?

He was about to fall asleep, when he heard what sounded like a helicopter approaching overhead. It sounded a little lower than normal. He continued listening and was confused to hear the aircraft had stopped right near his home. The longer the helicopter stayed, the more suspicious he became. Then, on top of that, the sound of tires squealing to a halt in front of his house was heard. He sat up.

What was going on out there?

As if to answer, he heard his door being broken down and some loud voices.

Monica, like Jin, had been relaxing herself. She was in the kitchen eating some cookies, a cup of milk waiting on the table next to her. Her braids were taken out and her hair had been washed. She was thinking of Kazuya, Jin and what Jun had been like.

Her headphones were on, yet they were low enough for her to be able to hear things around her. Beyond the flowing tunes of the music, a sharp sound of wood being broken reached her ears. It had come from inside the house! Jin wouldn't be training this late at night, especially after the long day they had. Something was not right.

Warily, she stood and removed her headphones. Without the overpowering noise of the music drowning out the lighter sounds, she could pick up several masculine voices yelling Japanese. Overhead a helicopter could be heard hovering above the house.

Not good! Who the heck was breaking into their house?!

Jin rushed downstairs on high alert, ready for action. The sight of the intruders enraged him. Those that spotted him stopped looking around and stood staring.

"Look, there is one of the targets! Jin!" one of the men alerted the group. "Remember, our orders are to bring him under control!"

Jin barely listened to what he said. All he wanted was for them to get out of his home. With a war cry, he dashed right up to the nearest Tekken member and smashed his fist into the black helmet he was wearing. The plastic broke into many pieces where his knuckles connected, and the man dropped to the floor, felled with one blow. Following that attack, Jin began to feel the power of adrenaline flowing into his veins. These intruders were in trouble.

Two men came at him on either side. He took them out easily with a couple punches to the gut and ribs. Once they all just came running into the house at him, he lost track of how many he was hitting. He did not even feel the prick of a tranquilizer dart piercing his right shoulder. All he could feel was the anger and the energy within himself building and building.

'These uniforms look familiar. They must be working for my blasted grandfather!' he absently mused. The idea increased his rage greatly.

Spin, kick. Dodge. Dodge. Punch, punch, kick. Duck. His quick acting brain sent commands to his deft body and it carried them out effortlessly. He was like a killing machine.

In the midst of it, he couldn't even feel himself transforming. Everything was like a blur. A second dart embedded itself in his left arm. Another struck his chest.

The men paused slightly upon witnessing the metamorphosis. They were not expecting him to change. Even though a little frightened, they continued to try and gain the upper hand. Their priority was subduing the boy, then the American, once that was accomplished. Afterwards, the 2 were to be detained and taken back to the Mishima mansion.

Meanwhile, Jin was killing lots of Tekken soldiers, but they seemed to just keep coming. On top of that, he strangely began to feel sluggish.

Suddenly, he could make out the sound of someone calling his name. It was a girl. He whirled around to see Monica standing in the kitchen entrance. She seemed scared and concerned at the same time.

"Monica! Get outta here!" Jin shouted.

She blinked and shook her head. "N-no! I don't wanna leave you like this, Jin!"

There was no time for arguments. He turned back around, knocked down a couple of men that managed to sneak up on him and sprinted towards the girl. In the process, yet another dart pieced the center of his back. He hardly felt it. He had to get Monica (and himself) away to safety.

He dipped low, catching her on his shoulder and rushed through the kitchen, out the back door. His ears heard the footfalls of the men in pursuit. He could even pick up on Monica's breathing over his shoulder...he could smell her anxiety. And then it clicked. He must've transformed!

He kept running until his legs shortly grew heavy. He tried flying, but his wings were too numb. What was wrong?

Jin let the girl off his shoulder and dropped to his knees. His entire body was feeling tingly and refused to obey what his brain was telling it.

"Oh, no! Jin! They shot you with some tranquilizers! There's no way we're gonna escape now!" she cried worriedly, taking out the dart that was sticking out his back. "Who are those men?"

He shook his head slowly. "I...I believe they are my grandfather's henchmen..."

The young male collapsed onto the hard sidewalk, turning his body so that he fell on his back. Monica knelt beside him and rest a hand on his chest.

"Oh, God! Jin, please don't pass out on me! C'mon, fight it!"

"I can't...the tranquilizers are too potent," he breathed. "Just go! Leave me!"

"No, Jin! I refuse to leave a friend behind!" she retorted. "That's not how I roll. Besides, I have no idea where to go and my cell is in the house."

She was afraid. Very afraid, yet she wouldn't leave him. He admired her for that. He wanted to embrace her to give her a sense of comfort, but his limbs weighed a ton. The most he could do was twitch his digits.

"You sure are stubborn when you want to be."

She smiled wryly. "Yeah, I know." She plucked another dart from his chest.

"Well...now you know what I look like when I change," he muttered.

Her brown-gold eyes glanced over his prone form. "Right. But you're not as scary as Devil."

He chuckled lowly.

Their conversation was interrupted by the approaching helicopter with its bright light beaming down on them. Tekken soldiers came dashing into view as well.

"Jesus, help us. Looks like they caught up," Monica grumbled.

Jin struggled to lift his head, but failed. "Oh, man. D*** tranquilizers!"

The chopper landed several meters away while Tekken forces surrounded the pair. Jin could only glare and growl at the men like a wild dog. He felt so helpless right now. And he hated it.

The demi Native American stood up, fear vanishing off her face. Her relatively small hands bunched into fists. "What do you want?"

One of the helmet-less soldiers stepped forward. "We have orders to detain you 2 and take you to the Mishima mansion."

"But, why?"

"Because our superior demands it. We simply follow our commands, we do not question them." He took a step towards her. "Now, if you come with us willingly, we will not use force."

"Hell no. You guys need to be taught some manners. I am a lady, you know."

The lead soldier, as well as some others that understood English, laughed a bit.

"Well, of course you are. But...orders are orders."

A couple of men walked forward to capture her. She smirked.

'They really think just 'cause I'm a girl, I'm defenseless.'

The American teenager recalled her teachings she received from last year and let out a slow exhale before she slid into a stance, quickly calming her heart rate, along with her nerves. She may be a bit rusty, yet she was certain she could perform at least one of the moves she learned.

~ * Flashback 9 Months Earlier * ~

_A Cool Bar in Charlotte, NC..._

[a/n: sorry the song is in Korean, but it's a fitting piece! I love this one...sounds so cool, smooth and romantic. Plus, I can totally see Hwoarang listening to songs like this.]

[a/n: (Throwback pic) Hwoarang is such a bad arse lol. He looks good with the cropped hair and army fatigues]

"So, you guys from South Korea? What you doin' here, if you don't mind me asking?" Alexis questioned, crossing her arms with a curious look.

A little ways away stood the shy Monica, also seemingly interested in the off-duty Korean army men.

Hwoarang and his fellow soldiers exchanged glances. Looks like they succeeded in gaining the attractive Americans' attention with that tidbit of information. A smirk formed on the redhead's lips and he came closer to her.

"Well, the US is friendly with South Korea and they frequently have soldiers go on trips between countries. Usually we get further training, but sometimes it's just to be more familiar with our allies." He paused and briefly checked out the bar they were in. "And well, this place seemed pretty cool and laid-back. We ain't in the mood for the more rowdy bars around here tonight."

Monica nodded and smiled coyly. "I can understand that."

Hearing her finally talk again after giving her name, caught the young man's attention. He looked past Alexis at her and smiled back. She was the one he was more interested in. With her lengthy hair, pretty face and feminine assets, she was hard to miss. The thin Alexis was also an attention-grabber, yet she didn't quite have enough sex appeal in his opinion. Some of his companions, however, liked her looks more than the brown-skinned girl's; they were into women who had similar bodies and skin tone as their Korean counterparts. Their loss!

"Yeah, I don't wanna have to kick someone's a**. I just wanna have a little fun."

One of his comrades spoke up, "Knowing you, Sergeant, you'll probably end up getting in a fight anyway," he joked.

Hwoarang and the other men laughed. The girls looking on in amusement, both being semi-surprised such a young guy was a ranking officer. "Hey, I'm a nice guy when I wanna be."

Alexis asked, "Sergeant...You like to fight, huh?"

Rubbing his short, spiky hair sheepishly he replied, "Yeah, kinda." He went to a more open space. "If somebody got a prob with me, all it takes is one of these..." Immediately, he performed a smooth, lightning quick roundhouse kick at an invisible enemy. "Or God forbid, one of these...!" He then executed his impressive high juggle kick, drawing attention from a few other patrons.

"There he goes, showing off again. Very few were trained by Baek Doo San," pouted a noticeably tall comrade of his...Eun was his name if Monica remembered correctly.

Said girl stepped forward with an awe-struck smile. "Hey, um, can you teach me one of those moves? That was awesome, Sergeant!"

Inside, Hwoarang pumped a fist in the air in triumph. He smirked and walked up to her. "You 2 can just call me by my name, y'know. And you sure about that?"

Monica flushed faintly at his closer proximity and charming good looks. "W-well, yeah. It doesn't hurt to learn some martial arts."

"Nice, eoljjang! You've got a good head on your shoulders. Now, I'm gonna have to invade your space for this, so don't hit me. Aight?"

The girls tittered at him.

As he instructed the dark-skinned female to get in the proper stance to perform a roundhouse, occasionally touching her arms or legs to correct her posture, the other men looked on in either surprise or jealousy. Alexis watched curiously, at times throwing a question or making a jovial remark about the Korean making her friend nervous with all the touching.

Hwoarang was thoroughly enjoying himself and was pleasantly surprised that once the bashful girl got used to him correcting her stance, she didn't mind his proximity at all despite the light blush on her face [a/n: and now ya know why touching isn't taboo with them at all]. Perhaps she was attracted to him.

'I could get used to this! Maybe I should teach her a few more moves while I'm in the country, if she's willing to give me the number...' mused the red-haired soldier with building anticipation.

Little did he know, that night would produce a close friendship between the 3, especially he and Monica.

~ * End Flashback * ~

On the ground, the son of Kazuya squinted at his roommate's pose. Something was familiar about it. Then it dawned on him who had that same stance.

'That defensive stance...! It has to be Hwoarang's!' he observed in shock. 'I forgot she mentioned he taught her a few taekwondo moves!'

In a flash, Monica kicked one in the groin, then spun and delivered a roundhouse kick to the other soldier's head. Both dropped to the ground in pain.

Jin burst out laughing at the man who got hit between the legs. That's what he gets.

"You're tougher than I thought," the lead soldier commented. "But we have no time for games." He looked to his other comrades. "Bring her under control."

This time 5 men came trotting toward her. Quickly, she ran and performed a drop kick on the soldier that was ahead of the rest. He gave a loud "ugh!" and went flying back into the men behind him, knocking the others down.

Before she could get back on her feet, the lead soldier and his subordinate grabbed her arms tightly and stood her up.

"Pretty good for an American," he snapped. "However, you're coming whether you like it or not!"

She struggled in their hold and was about to give them a tongue lashing, when his partner landed a chop on the back of her neck. The teen blacked out in their grasp.

"Monica!" Jin cried. "Let her go! She has nothing to do with me and my grandfather!"

The lead Tekken soldier handed the unconscious Monica over to his comrade, who leered down at the girl with a smirk.

"Look at you. You're quite the specimen. You have no idea how privileged you are to possess the devil gene."

Jin glowered up at the man, growling steadily. "Idiot! You have no clue, do you?! This gene is no fortune, but a curse! You wouldn't understand."

His sight was growing fuzzy now.

"Hmph. Maybe you're right. Yet your opinion doesn't matter. Mr. Mishima wants you and the little American for his plan." He smiled falsely. "Lights out, freak."

Before Jin realized it, the man's boot shot out and connected with the side of his head. All he saw were stars beneath his closed lids.

End Ch. 5!


	18. Unexpected Love: Ch. 6A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Heihachi!

Kazuya's eyes flew open. He stared around the room. He was still in his bed lying down. Monica was not there and they were not in the training room. But...the dream seemed so realistic.

He groaned, seeing it was still late at night. He was sleep for only 2 hours. Hopefully when he went back to sleep, he could dream another dream like that. Blatantly, he thought about calling her to tell her he was coming to pick her up anyway, but he let the idea pass. He didn't want her to think he was smothering her. He'll call the next day instead.

*

Monica jerked back to consciousness after feeling a sharp stinging sensation on her cheek.

"Come on, wake up, American," a gravelly voice muttered.

She gradually opened her eyelids. Her eyesight was out of focus, but she could make out the outline of a man. The figure leaned in for a moment.

"...Ah, you're coming to. Welcome back."

The adolescent disliked the sound of the voice. It reminded her of sandpaper. She squeezed her eyes shut, sensing a minor migraine. After she reopened her eyes, her vision was restored. When she saw the man, her brow furrowed. Who the heck was this?

It was a relatively tall Japanese, probably in his 70's. Gray, spiky hair covered his head, although he was balding in the center. Despite his age however, he had an upright posture, wide shoulders and was somewhat buff. He wore satiny pajamas and slippers. A confident smile was plastered on his aging face.

"Wh...who are you?" she whispered.

"Oh, my apologies, I am Heihachi Mishima. The father of the man you are seeing."

Her eyes lit up with recognition of the name. "...Heihachi?! I remember you all right," she rasped. "You're the main reason Kazuya and Jin had such a messed up past."

He snorted. "Feh, there was a reason for what they went through, onna." He tilted his chin up. "My son is evil. I'm not sure if he dared to tell you this, but he harbors a devil in his soul, like his mother had. And Jin...he destroyed my precious plans of becoming something greater and dominating the world. Wouldn't you hate someone for either scenario?"

"...I'm not sure about that. And I certainly wouldn't try to kill 'em. That's crazy." Her eyes narrowed.

"From your point of view it is. To me, it's a fair and necessary punishment."

She shook her head at his strangeness. "You sure have issues."

He only raised an eyebrow at her.

"Where am I, anyways?" she questioned, voice finally returning to normal.

Heihachi smirked with pride. "You are in the Mishima mansion. You should feel privileged."

She scrutinized her surroundings then tried to move, only to find she was unable. She looked down at herself and saw chains wrapped snugly around her body. Behind her was a pillar of polished wood that ran from the floor to the ceiling.

"What's the deal with the chains?"

"A measure that is needed to keep you from escaping."

A frown appeared on her full lips. The old man couldn't help but glance at them.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Simple," he replied, crossing his arms. "You are being used as bait to lure Kazuya here. I know he wouldn't come for anything else."

Her eyes narrowed again. "You're settin' him up. What're you trying to pull, huh?"

The tone of her voice was beginning to turn angry now.

Heihachi sniffed indifferently. "That, I'm afraid, is none of your concern."

The girl's Afro-Indian features twisted into a scowl. "Well, whatever you're planning, I hope Kazuya comes here and kicks your behind," she growled.

He laughed at her remark. She was being disrespectful, but he liked her no nonsense attitude. For someone tied up with chains and rendered helpless, she was brave. From the moment she came to, there was no sign of fear on her face. Most women would be fearful or crying their eyes out at being held captive in a strange place, away from family and friends. But not this one. And she was an American. He always believed they were spoiled, stuck up weaklings. Perhaps he was wrong about some of them.

"You're a bold one, ne? I suppose I can understand why my son has taken an interest in an American like you," he said, studying her. "Not only are you rather attractive, you've got that stubborn, fearless air about you. You are not like the other Americans I've come across."

His eyes held a speck of admiration in them.

"Enough about that," she told him, her mind suddenly on her nearly forgotten roommate and dear friend. "Where's Jin at?"

Heihachi nearly smiled at the concern that filled her eyes. Interesting how much she cared about his grandson. "...I guess you haven't noticed, but he is in this room as well. Just look to your far left. He's tied up at the altar."

Monica eagerly turned her head in the direction. And there, suspended in thick chains was Jin. His wings were gone, but he was unconscious. He should be awake by now. Did Heihachi beat on him while he was chained up and drugged? No...there would've been bruises or some type of injury visible.

"Why is he knocked out? What did you do?"

Heihachi took his piercing gaze off her and locked onto Jin. "...Oh, that. I myself did nothing to cause his unconsciousness. It is the type of chains that are holding him. To the eye, they are ordinary, but these chains were made from a special material created in the science lab. An individual with the devil gene will be made unconscious and their power neutralized. Quite ingenious, if I say so."

Monica only sighed in both relief and exhaustion. At least Jin was not hurt.

Her captor yawned. "Well...if you will excuse me, Monica, I'll be going to bed now," he drawled, shuffling to the door. "All we do now is wait..."

With that, he left through the exit.

Monica rolled her eyes. Great, she had to sleep tied up in chains. Heihachi could have let her sleep on the floor with an old blanket at least. Now she will be sure to keep waking up from discomfort all night.

Her eyes flicked to Jin, who was still out cold. She wished he was awake so she could have someone to talk to before she went to sleep. Being in an alien place did not help her anxiety. Nonetheless, Jin's presence brought some comfort.

Switching her train of thought, she stared up at the ceiling. How long would they have to stay in this place before Kazuya came? She didn't want him to come in a way, because of the old man's sneaky tricks, yet she wanted to get out of the place too. Things were getting out of hand now and there was nothing she could do about it. Kazuya would be lured into a no way out scenario because of her. Her! How ironic that she was starting to agree with him about things being better if they stopped seeing each other. But...it was too late.

She paused.

And now that she thought about it, how did Heihachi know her name?

*

Following afternoon...

Kazuya got off the phone with the general manager of G Corp. and sighed in annoyance. He didn't understand why they were still so interested in him becoming 1 with Devil. He told them specifically that he decided to cancel the plans. He no longer had any real drive to go through with the process.

Monica had ensured it. He had been given unconditional love and acceptance. Being with her was his main objective now. The only way he'd rethink his decision was if she betrayed him somehow.

Speaking of the girl, he wanted to spend a little time with her...again. It was difficult to get her off his brain. She was like an addiction. When he was with her his soul felt at peace. Even the tension in his body slacked up.

A slight smile spread across his face thinking about her. Gosh, he was like a lovesick pup.

All of a sudden he was jarred from his pondering by his house phone ringing. He scowled, desiring to rip the device from its cord. Reluctantly, he leaned over and snatched the phone off the receiver.

"This had better not be anyone associated with G. Corporation," he ground out in Japanese.

"...Whoa. Easy, Kazuya. It's Lee," came the familiar voice.

Kazuya's anger receded. "Oh, you. What is it? I hope it's important."

"You don't sound happy to hear me. But...yes, I have important news to relay to you."

"OK. Talk."

"Well, it's about father again. According to my dependable sources, the old geezer can carry out his plan of becoming a 'supreme being' within a couple days or so."

The scarred fighter snorted. "What? That's nonsense. He has no idea of my location. Unless, of course, you turned on me."

"No, not at all. I have no intentions whatsoever of siding with that delirious fool. Anyhow, word has it that the necessary players are in position and just 1 more to go...which could be any day now. Don't ask me to clarify that, but it boils down to the fact that father is pretty close to fulfilling his dream."

"Hmmm, I wonder... All right, you just keep up with your connections and notify me at once if something else comes up. In the meantime, I'll be on guard. You're turning out to be useful after all."

The silver haired male scoffed. "Why thank you, brother. I feel highly esteemed. Bye for now."

"Goodbye."

Kazuya hung up the phone with a deep frown. Could it be that his father has nearly completed his plans? He couldn't comprehend how he managed to get the Devil gene.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he grabbed his cell to call Monica. He listened to the line ring 5 times before the answering machine picked up. He quickly ended the call. Did she and Jin go somewhere? No, they were saying how tired they were and that they probably won't be going out the next day. Perhaps they were still asleep...even though it was going on 2 in the afternoon. He'll wait another hour or so and call again.

* *

Monica turned her head to face the door, hearing someone approaching it. Very shortly, the doors opened to reveal the same 2 men who visited earlier.

During that visit, they gave her a drink of water, mercifully. They weren't that friendly, but they weren't mean or rough with her either.

"OK, American. It's restroom time. After that, it's lunch with the boss."

She smiled a bit with relief. The girl really had been holding the urge in for a while now, not to mention her muscles were beginning to complain from being kept in the same position so long. On the other hand, she did not want to see Heihachi's unattractive mug.

"Aight. No complaints here..." she mumbled.

This time the younger of the two unlocked the chains and loosened them enough so that they were easily slipped off from her person. The teenage girl was a little stiff and unsteady on her feet, so the man patiently allowed her to lean on him until she regained her balance. After muttering a thanks, Monica was then shackled and the guys began to lead her away.

As they were leaving, the long-haired woman cast a concerned glance at her suspended friend. Still, he did not move a muscle or open an eye. It was like he was in a coma rather than unconscious...or even dead. She had to see if he was OK.

"Wait. Please..." she spoke up.

The men slowed to a halt and eyed her.

"I wanna check on my friend. It's almost like he's dead. I just wanna make sure he's all right."

The younger of the 2 looked to his superior for approval. He understood how the girl felt.

At first the other seemed suspicious, but he reluctantly let go of her.

"Fine, girl. But don't be all day. The boss is expecting you in less than a half hour."

She nodded. "OK, thanks. But why such a long time? It won't take me that long to use the bathroom."

"Well, he decided to allow you to freshen up and get a change of clothes...compliments from him of course." The Japanese crossed his arms. "He's a big follower of tradition, so he believes a woman shouldn't eat at the table looking disheveled—especially in his presence."

The demi-African girl grunted, self-consciously running her hands over her frowzled hair. She knew she was not at her best at the moment, but to hear it from the opposite sex right in her face...!? It wasn't like she had time to get fixed up before she and Jin were rudely kidnapped. They were on their way to bed, for God's sake! Besides, neither one of them was handled gently in the process.

Pushing her recollection of last night to the side, she shuffled up to the altar. She managed to climb awkwardly over both railings—amusing the 2 observers--before reaching Jin. Once she got to his side, she gazed up at him, placing her hands on his leg. Thank God she could feel the warmth of his body heat through his pajama pants. She rest her forehead on his leg and sighed gratefully, hugging it.

'Hold on, Jin. Kazuya will come for us soon...I just know it!' she thought, determination surging through her at the cogitation.

"Time to go now," came the elder guard's authoritative voice.

Monica slowly released her roommate's leg, staring wistfully at his serene, indifferent visage. The 2 guards moved to her side, then assisted her over the railings and out the room.

* * *

Heihachi sat drinking white wine, eyes glued to the dark-skinned American as she was escorted to the table. He had to admit the Nubian woman looked more attractive now that she had been groomed and dressed properly. Her messy hair and rumpled pajamas had been a turn-off!

The adolescent's raven hair had been pulled back into a clip. Her sleepwear was replaced by the white Chinese style shirt and simple, snug black pencil skirt he had sent for her to wear.

After the girl was seated, he waved the guards out the room. They bowed and hastily departed.

"You look very presentable today, American," Heihachi commented. He snapped his fingers and soon after, a servant entered the room with a tray of food. "I take it you are hungry?"

Monica observed the servant set the plate of food in front of her and an alcoholic beverage of some type.

"Yeah, of course. I ain't eat since last night."

Heihachi cackled. "Right, right. I should have known that." He gestured to her plate. "Well, you'll be having a nice meal. If you're still unsatisfied, feel free to ask for a second helping."

The tasty aroma wafted into her nostrils and her stomach compelled her to lift the chopsticks to dig in. She briefly paused in her actions to say a short prayer of thanks, however.

The KOIF watched her eat in mild fascination. He could easily tell she was famished, yet at least she managed to eat properly and not like some slob.

Very soon Monica ceased and swallowed to ask, "I don't get it. Why are you being nice to me? I figured you would be the crazy man that would want me tortured or something."

The old male set his glass down. "Simple. There is no need to do such. I want Kazuya, not you. As I said before, you're only bait. Besides, you're not like the other Americans. I actually have some liking for you."

She studied him for a moment, grunted and resumed eating. Heihachi did not remain silent for long.

"Tell me...what drove you to my son? His money or his fame? ...Or both?"

Monica's head snapped up. She was surprised and angry. "Say what?"

He shrugged a shoulder carelessly. "No one really likes him. He's just too cold and conceited. A fighter, not a lover. That's what I brought him up to be anyhow. But..." He cocked his head a bit, eyeing her. "You changed him somewhat. He's never been seen with a woman in public before until he met you. He may have feelings for you... Do you like him or the wealth?"

The girl scowled at him, eyes darkening. "For your information, someone does like him! And I'm not the 1st! Jin's mother loved Kazuya too! His fame and money was not what either of us wanted!" She tilted her chin up with dignity. "So, don't go thinkin' all of us women only want money!"

Heihachi fleetingly thought of the quiet, nature-loving native that had entered the 1st and 2nd tournaments. He didn't pay her much attention, like most of the other fighters that participated, but he vaguely remembered how she regarded Kazuya with a mixture of curiosity, concern and later, affection. What was her name again?

Casting the thought to the back of his mind, he sneered at her, "Do not raise your voice at me, wench! You are only a young fool! You know nothing of real love!"

The 2 sat glaring at each other fiercely. If looks could kill, they'd both be dead. Finally, after the hostility died down at bit, the caramel-complexioned female declared in a hushed, determined tone:

"I do..."

* * * *

Kazuya checked his watch. Over an hour has passed. Time to check on Monica and Jin. He picked up the phone and pushed redial. Someone has to be there by now or awake. He waited, yet in the end was greeted by the answering machine. His brow furrowed as he ended the call. Now, he was almost certain something was wrong. First, he was going to go over to the house and see for himself what could be the problem. He didn't really know why, but his instincts were urging him to go to their house.

He quickly called Anikki up and went to the door area to slip into his sneakers.

The black, sleek Nissan President pulled up to Jin and Monica's home. Kazuya glanced over the neat house, not really seeing anything out of place...except the doorframe appeared a tad cracked. It wasn't like that before, was it?

Anikki came around to let him out the car. The tall man stepped out, eyeing the few neighbors outside, tending to their small gardens or talking among each other. Better put the shades on now. He sat back down halfway in the car and reached for his shades stored in the glasses compartment overhead. Swiftly, he slid them on before getting out.

This time some of the neighbors were staring at him. They were surprised such a casual looking man dressed in black, baggy cargo shorts and a white tee owned a limo. If they only knew...

Currently, the martial artist made it to the porch, grateful that the neighbors were respectful enough not to continue to ogle him. His eyes swept over the door's frame. It was indeed cracked and splintered as if... He stiffened. Someone had broken down the door!

A white piece of notepaper was stuck on the door. He came closer to read it:

三島 一八

少女と息子を見たいなら、三島マンションに来てください！

Kazuya snatched the note off the door, crumpling it in his large hand. He stood glaring down at the porch floor, trembling with rage. Even his dark side was angry.

"That deceitful old bastard!" he snarled in his native tongue, punching the door suddenly. A dent formed where his fist struck.

So, there was another plan to lure him out after all. And all that time, he believed his father was keeping an eye out only for him. He never expected the man would abduct Monica and Jin to get him to come to them instead. As much as he absolutely hated to admit, his father was a clever man. He must've had his spies posted throughout the city looking for Jin and the girl and then tracked them to their home. He started getting angrier just thinking about it.

And then there was the phone call from Lee earlier.

'Word has it that the necessary players are in position, and just one more to go...'

The "necessary players" were Monica and Jin. The last was himself. There was no choice now but to go to the mansion.

With a sneer, he spun around and jogged down the steps to the limo, no longer caring that people were now staring at him. He didn't even wait for Anikki to get out the car to open the door. He was so pissed! His demented father would be getting what he wanted.

The Japanese tossed his sunglasses off and pushed the intercom button to speak to the driver.

"Anikki! Do you remember where the Mishima mansion is?!" he questioned rather hotly.

"Uh...y-yes, sir!" came his anxious reply, apparently shocked and worried at his employer's tone.

"Good, because we will be going there right now!"

To Be Continued...


	19. Unexpected Love: Ch. 6B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trade-off...

_[a/n: OK you 2, since you're both so buff...how about a flexing contest? BOTH: Hell yeah!]_

"Sir! Sir!" hollered one of the Tekken guards, loping into the living room where Heihachi sat. "I've got urgent news!"

The smug man's eyebrows rose. Whatever it was, it must be pretty big...or at least he hoped, for the guard's sake.

"Well then, what is it?"

The young man seemed a bit nervous. "Sir...he is here."

Heihachi scowled and stood up. "He? Elaborate, soldier. Who is he?"

The other male took a deep breath. "...Your son. Kazuya."

The fighter grinned wickedly. "The coward decided to crawl out of his hiding spot has he? Summon the others, then escort him to the altar room. I will be there waiting."

The boy bowed and swiftly exited the room. Heihachi watched him go and smirked. His plans were almost set.

*

Monica was in her own world, wondering when Kazuya would come and rescue them. She was back in the altar room, chained up.

After she had had her fill at lunch, Heihachi sent her to her acquainted room, still fussing about her denying her ignorance of love. She made no complaints. She was satisfied in 2 ways: she was full and she succeeded in pissing Heihachi off because he couldn't accept the truth. In fact, she nearly laughed at his childish reaction. She and Kazuya loved each other and there was nothing he could do or say to change it.

Very soon, her mind was brought back to reality upon hearing the doors open. 2 Tekken guards led Heihachi into the room. The 2 men in uniforms strode over to her, unlocked her restraint, then dragged her towards the exit. They stopped at Heihachi's side.

The old man gazed at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"There's a surprise for you, yet I need you to sit tight for a few minutes. You'll have the guards to keep you company."

She furrowed her brow. "What? Surprise? What do you mean exactly?"

Heihachi only nodded his head towards the doors. The men obediently continued on their journey out, Monica staring behind her at the devious old fighter with distrust.

"You are one sneaky douche," the teenager remarked snidely in Cheyenne before they were out the room.

The strange language caught him off-guard; there was no further information on her background, other than her having separated parents. This young American was quite an enigma, with her racially ambiguous looks. She could be of Egyptian or Indian descent. He had no idea what she said to him, but he knew it wasn't anything nice.

After they were absent, the elderly man stared up at his grandson hanging up by his chains.

"Very shortly your father will be joining you up there, boy," he coldly commented.

* *

Outside, Kazuya had told Anikki to stay put, then got out the vehicle. He strolled up to the large gates that denied him entrance to the mansion, and waited for the guards to return and let him in. Another 5 minutes or so dragged by and he began to get restless.

Since he was so vexed and agitated, he couldn't stand still for long. Plus, Devil was worked up and that was not helping matters either. He began pacing back and forth, a deep scowl glued to his face.

His eyes were trained on the entrance of the mansion that was once his. Finally he saw several men emerge from the door and come marching down the walkway. Kazuya paused, then resumed pacing, head lowered as he grilled the men harshly. He vaguely realized some of Devil's behavior was getting through to him.

Meanwhile, the young man who first greeted Kazuya earlier swallowed audibly. Looking at the former KOIF made him quiver with fear. He could clearly see that the man had the devil gene. One of his eyes was an eerie red that glowed even in the weakening sunlight. And not only that, he looked ready to kill, reminding him of a tiger pacing back and forth waiting for his prey to come closer.

"Are you fools going to open this d*** gate or what?!" he growled at the guards.

A snarl remained on his lips.

"Um, yeah. Just a moment," answered the young guard.

A couple others moved near the gate, 1 of them pressing a code to open it.

"It's about time," he grumbled flatly.

"Follow us, please," a different man commanded in an unconfident tone.

3 guards flanked Kazuya while he followed behind the others.

'Hmph. These puny men think they can handle me? Funny. Very funny,' mused the tall fighter.

Sometime later the group reached a pair of doors. The lead men opened them and Heihachi came into view.

"Welcome back home, son," Heihachi greeted falsely. "Do come in."

The Tekken men made way for Kazuya, who appeared more enraged than he did before he got to the room.

"You..." he sneered.

Heihachi ignored him and let his eyes wander over his son's attire. "That's new. You're actually dressing like the young brats, I see."

Kazuya's eyes narrowed. "Enough of the stalling, old man! Where are they!?"

His father cackled callously. "...Oh right. Them. Well...if you would look up near the altar, you will see."

The younger fighter did as told and came across Jin. He seemed to be unconscious. Kazuya took a couple steps towards his dear son, the red fleeing from his left eye.

"Jin?! What did you do to him, father?!" he interrogated, still studying his son.

Heihachi smirked. "Nothing. It's only the chains that have him unconscious."

Kazuya tried to make out any possible bruises or cuts, but saw none. He did not quite understand how simple chains caused his son to become unconscious. At least he was OK. Somewhat satisfied with Jin's condition, he checked around for Monica. She was nowhere to be found. He frowned.

"What about Monica?" he asked suspiciously, gazing expectantly at his parent.

"Oh, the girl. Why should you care? You can't really be interested in her. She was only someone to warm your bed."

The scarred karate fighter's left eye returned to its former blood-red color. He scowled.

"Actually, I am that interested! She bestowed something on me that you never did! What I feel for her runs much deeper than consummation!" He came a little closer to the elder male. "So, where is she, old man?" he asked in a warning tone.

Heihachi was rather taken aback, even though he surmised Kazuya really liked her. He just never figured his son would come out and admit it.

"She's fine. She's in another room now."

That was the last straw. Not only did Kazuya get fed up, Devil did as well. Jin was mainly Kazuya's problem, even though he shared a part of his power. But Monica was his problem almost as much as Kazuya's. He broke free easily of his host's control and surfaced. He wanted to see his woman now!

With a snarl, he suddenly grasped Heihachi's wrist, twisting his arm behind him and forced the man to the floor with deft speed.

"Aaaahh!" the old timer cried out.

**"You test me, human! You do not want to do that!"**

Devil-Kazuya shifted his attention to the Tekken men and growled for a moment, eyeing them as they aimed their weapons at him. The nerve of these pests raising their firearms! He wanted nothing more than to slaughter them all...splatter their blood over the walls and floor...tear them limb from limb. It was no secret that most of his kind, as well as their fallen superiors/fathers could not stand humans. They have spiritually waged war against them for millennia, and continue to do so. There are some bloodlines out there, unknown to the majority (or they simply refused to believe it) of the population, that are nephilim—or more precisely, the fallen's--descendants and work closely with both his kind and the fallen ones. They were the only exceptions they held no hatred for...and then there were the few families like the Hachijo Clan that the demons used in order to have a physical host body. Kazuya was the only thing standing in the way of the Tekken soldiers' (Heihachi's also) horrible demise at the moment.

These people were keeping his woman, and a Christian at that, away from him. Of course, there was the bonus that she was a descendant of..."The Source's" chosen. He was not going to let her get away so easily. With a disdainful smirk, he used his telekinetic prowess to snatch the guns out of their hands and hold them high in the air. After observing their idiotic, stupefied reactions, he returned his attention to Heihachi.

On the floor, Heihachi whimpered slightly. "Who...are you?" he asked uneasily.

Devil-Kazuya tilted his chin up. **"I am what you refer to as a devil. Now, tell me where the girl is!"**

"Like I said, she's in another room down the hall." He managed to lift his gray head to look at his underling. "Retrieve the girl, soldier!"

The youngest snapped to attention and fled the room.

**"If she is injured, I will kill you where** **you lie,"** Devil-Kazuya threatened maliciously.

"...But, I don't understand." The fighter grimaced. "Why are you so concerned about a human girl?"

**"I am not going to explain my reason for the likes of _you_,"** he growled, and twisted the man's limb a little more, smirking when he heard a tendon pop and Heihachi grunt in pain. **"Now, that is enough questioning, trash. Be silent!"**

The room grew uncomfortably quiet as all waited on Monica's arrival.

Thankfully the guards that had Monica, as well as the rookie, came striding into the room. Devil-Kazuya loosened his hold on Heihachi's arm as he observed the Nubian woman.

Monica was glancing around in puzzlement, but when she spotted Kazuya, her eyes lit up with joy. Right afterwards, she noticed his glowing orbs. It wasn't Kazuya in control at the moment. Nevertheless, she was glad to see him.

"Ka—Devil?" she called uncertainly.

He nodded then scanned her from head to toe to find any visible signs of injury. **"Are you unharmed?"** he asked intently, speaking in English.

"Yeah, I'm good." She shivered a little at the sound of his bass-filled voice. It never ceased to run chills down her back.

Devil-Kazuya glared at the men holding her. **"You! Release her at once!"** he bellowed, switching back to Japanese.

Once they did so, he let go of Heihachi's aching arm none to gently.

The long-haired teen started trotting towards him, Devil-Kazuya meeting her halfway. She threw her arms around his neck in a tight embrace, resting her head against his shoulder. He immediately enveloped her in his own arms, purring at the feel of her supple form and intoxicating scent.

"I'm so happy you came," she murmured. "I really missed you..."

Devil-Kazuya's weight suddenly shifted onto her for a moment, sparks flashing over his body. He grunted as if in discomfort. Unfortunately, Kazuya caught onto Devil's plot of killing everyone in the room with the exception of Monica and Jin, now that the girl was back in his custody. Annoyed, the spirit had no choice but to surrender control of the body. Simultaneously, the guns that were being suspended by his telekinesis plummeted to the floor, creating a loud ruckus. The Tekken soldiers leaped away to safety to avoid being injured by the falling firearms.

"Devil?" Monica called in a strained voice, trying to hold up Kazuya's heavy body.

An instant later, Kazuya stood up on his own. "Monica...it's me."

Her ears picked on the different pitch in his voice. It indeed was Kazuya.

"Kazuya?!" she cried, pulling back to look into his face.

He smiled warmly. "I missed you too, Bishoujo. I got here as fast as I could. I couldn't believe the yaro abducted you and Jin."

"Yeah, I was pretty scared when it all happened. We probably could've escaped if Jin hadn't been tranquilized."

He let out an irritated sigh, shaking his head. "Well, at least you 2 are all right," he said, running a hand down her cheek. "I'm getting you out of here."

Heihachi stepped in, rubbing his sore arm. "I'm sorry to interrupt the romance, but...Kazuya, you must understand that there is a price to pay for her freedom."

The younger fighter spun around, angry. "What is it?!" he retorted impatiently.

His father smiled mischievously. "It is a trade. You for the girl."

Kazuya looked away and sighed. "How did I anticipate a dilemma like this?" Ignoring the inner rant of the beast within, he faced the elder martial artist. "How do I know you'll actually release her?"

Monica's fingers clenched at the sleeve of his polo shirt. She did not want to leave him behind. They had been separated from each other already.

Heihachi squared his shoulders, staring him straight in the eye. "You have my word. Besides, she is no longer of use to me....she's a cute foreigner, but not quite my type. [a/n: thank God!/"

Kazuya scrutinized his parent. He did not seem like he was bluffing. Not only that, but now that he thought about it—why would he keep the girl anyhow? The man did not favor Americans much.

"Very well. It's a deal..." he reluctantly agreed.

Deep down he was secretly planning to escape once Monica and Jin were safely away.

Monica clutched his arm. "N-no, Kazuya! Please, don't do this!" she pleaded, tears forming in her eyes.

Kazuya gazed at her, his heart aching at the sight. "I'm sorry...but this is how it has to be." He kissed her firmly on the lips for a few moments to say his goodbye. When he pulled back, he spotted a stray teardrop slide down her cheek. He brushed it away and kissed the damp spot it had occupied. "Don't cry. Be strong for me. That is what you have been from the moment I met you. Don't get all weak on me now," he half-joked with a small smile.

The girl closed her amber eyes, giggling softly. She reopened them and gazed into his own orbs. "All right, Kazuya. I'll do it...just for you." Her fingers reached up, tracing the bisected scar on his visage. "I love you," she whispered.

Kazuya closed his eyes at her words. "And you know I feel the same about you." He pulled away gently and faced Heihachi. "Well, what're you waiting for? Let my son down from there!"

The older man snorted. "You want him loose? You do the work."

His son narrowed his eyes at him but strolled up to the altar. As he neared the location, Heihachi smirked slyly, striding purposefully over to the side of the altar. Once Kazuya was in a certain spot, he pulled a lever. Instantly, 2 chains whipped down from the poles at the altar, then another from near the floor followed suit. They snaked around the stunned Kazuya's limbs and yanked him off the floor into the air, holding him in the same position as his son.

"Kazuya!" Monica shrieked helplessly.

Heihachi cackled smugly.

The scarred male struggled in his trap. "What are you doing, old man?!" he demanded.

His parent leered at him. "Do you think I'd be dumb enough to let you come here...without a leash to tie you down?"

"So, you think this will stop me?" he growled, pulling on his restraints.

Unfortunately, he was having difficulty drawing forth his strength. Even Devil's scolding sounded farther away in his mind for some strange reason. What type of chains were these?

"Those are no ordinary chains. They were created in the science lab. They neutralize your power. An individual saturated with the devil gene, such as yourself, will be rendered unconscious in a matter of minutes," he explained conceitedly.

"D*** you!" Kazuya spat, still wiggling fruitlessly. "Why don't you let my son go? You have me, you do not need him!"

"Why should I release him, when I can have both of you for the price of one?" He spun around to look at his guards. "I only require 2 men here, the rest of you are dismissed. My son is under control."

The men bowed, gathering their weapons. Monica's guards stayed behind while the rest exited.

The young American, meanwhile, was very angry at Heihachi. All this time he wanted both Jin and Kazuya in his captive. Someone was overdue for a beat down.

She marched silently up to him, fists balled, then socked him in the face hard. Heihachi had his defenses down, so he clearly felt the punch. Before he had time to recover, she struck him again across the face and kneed him in the solar plexus. Her guards ran over to her and grabbed her arms, dragging her away from him in a mixture of surprise and amusement.

Up at the altar, Kazuya laughed heartily at the scene. That was one of the things he loved about her. She had that hidden fierceness that tended to catch anyone off guard. Still, his father outclassed her in skills and strength. Luckily, she capitalized on him not being prepared for her attack. She wouldn't have stood a chance otherwise.

"That's my girl," he praised affectionately in his native tongue.

Heihachi straightened up from his hunched over position, a scowl on his reddened face. The girl got him good, he gave her that. But he was going to punish her for it He frowned deeply, then landed a heavy backhand slap across her cheek. She nearly fell out of the guards' grasp. Despite the strength behind the man's strike, he didn't hear her cry out in pain. Impressive.

"Little b****!" he snarled.

That sent Kazuya struggling again in his chains. "Leave her alone, d*****! Don't get upset because she managed to wound your pride!"

"Shut up! I suggest you save your strength, boy! Pretty soon you'll be out cold." Heihachi swung his balding head back to the soldiers and the dazed girl. "Take the wench outside before I do something I may regret."

The men escorted Monica away. Kazuya quickly yelled, "Monica...tell Anikki to take you to my house! You..." He felt himself becoming weak, drained. Devil was barely heard now. "You may stay there from now on, until it's time for you to return home."

She turned her head and locked gazes with him. He told her how sorry he was with his eyes and watched her go until she was no longer in sight.

Heihachi glared up at Kazuya. "You've become weak, boy. Had you never been involved with her you would never have been in this situation. I would still be wondering where you're at." He shook his head nonchalantly. "At any rate, you 2 will be used to help me achieve my dreams of world domination. Be happy that you're going to die playing a role in such a glorious plan."

Kazuya could only glower down at him in despise. He was getting too weary to move much. There was no escape from these chains. He was stuck.

'Monica, I hope that Korean takes care of you...'

* * *

The demi Native American pounded on the door to the Mishima mansion, refusing to leave Kazuya and Jin behind. What was she going to do without either of them?

"Let me in, you a**holes!" she yelled in near hysterics. "I know you hear me in there!"

After a few more minutes of banging, kicking and hurtling insults, the teen grew tired and realized that she wasn't going to get her wish. Finally, she turned and saw Kazuya's limo still sitting patiently at the bottom of the driveway, just beyond the gates.

With a sad sigh, she trudged down the path to the vehicle. Tears spilled silently down her cheeks. She felt so helpless and worst of all, useless.

* * * * *

Several minutes later a guard escorted Sage into the altar room.

"Ah, Mr. Mishima," he greeted, bowing low. "I've received news about Kazuya's capture." His eyes looked up to see the glaring, yet exhausted-looking ex KOIF hanging from chains at the altar.

"Yes. He is finally in my hands," Heihachi boasted. "But...couldn't have done it without your assistance, Sage."

The spy sensed pride swelling in his chest. "Why thank you, sir." He noticed 2 big red spots on his superior's cheeks, but chose not to ask. "So, when do you think you can begin your plans?"

The old man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps some time tomorrow night."

"That is great to hear. Just think of all the people you'll be doing a favor for..."

As they continued to talk, Kazuya wondered if this was the man who followed Jin and Monica around. He wished the chains weren't so effective, else he would've pummeled the spy to the ground. His mind began to drift farther from reality. Even his vision was becoming hazy. Another minute and he will be unconscious with Jin...never to awake again.

Presently, his eyes registered movement from the 2 men. He focused in on the blurry figures as they strolled out the room, conversing. The guard shot a glance up at him, before closing the doors behind them.

Kazuya let out a weak sigh. He had no regrets about meeting Monica, she gave him some of the best short months of his life and brought he and Jin together. It was just too bad that his son had to suffer because of Heihachi's greed. Allowing himself to review the past few months of his life, Kazuya gradually fell unconscious.

*

In the training room...

"...It was a pretty interesting assignment. Although it had been extremely difficult to catch up to the boy and that American."

"I'm sure it was, Sage," agreed Heihachi, leaning up to grab a spear from the wall display. He examined it. "OK, you generally came here tonight to collect your payment, correct?"

Sage rubbed the back of his neck at the sudden question. It was true, but he preferred to wait till a little later to ask for the payment.

"Uh...yes, sir," he answered, sounding almost ashamed.

Heihachi chuckled good-naturedly. "Oh, it's quite all right. I told you I would pay you, so that is what I should do." He then practiced swinging the spear and thrusting it at an unseen opponent. "Tell me, Sage. What would you like your payment in? Cash? Check? Jewels?"

"Oh, check will be fine, thanks. I don't want to carry excess baggage. I would rather deposit it in my bank account."

"Very well..." He suddenly closed in on the spy, spear in front of him. "Here is your pay!"

Before Sage realized it, Heihachi lurched forward, plunging the sharp spear into his abdomen. He cried out briefly in surprise and pain, clutching at the pole. His eyes came to rest on the fighter with betrayal and disbelief. The spy dropped to the floor on his knees, crimson blood rushing out of the wound.

Heihachi smirked cruelly, digging the spear in farther. Sage's eyes glazed over as he gurgled up dark blood. The elderly man pulled the weapon out cleanly, letting the spy drop onto the floor in his own blood. He died seconds later.

The rookie soldier came dashing into the room to find out why there was screaming. He came to a halt, eyes fixated on the Tekken spy lying in a small puddle of blood. A wave of nausea swept over him and he leaned against the wall to support himself. After some deep breaths, his frightened and confused eyes darted to his boss.

"S-sir?" he questioned.

Heihachi dropped the weapon carelessly. "Go get a few comrades and clean this mess."

The boy swallowed, nodded and rushed out the door. He wouldn't think his boss would kill, let alone in his own house. But orders were orders. Maybe a few of his fellow Tekken members had dealt with dead bodies or killing before, so he'll let them do the dirty work.

~

After Monica got to Kazuya's house, she sulked up the steps, heading straight for the bedroom.

She fell onto the comfortable mattress with a sad sigh. The 2 closest people (after her parents and a select few) she'd known were probably never going to see the light of day again. No longer would she see Jin's charming smile, hear his jokes or enjoy their many nights in the town. And no longer would she be held in Kazuya's protective arms, witness the affection in his piercing orbs, or hear the whispers of sweet nothings.

By then her eyes were wet again with unshed tears. The more she thought about it, the more broken she became.

'Oh, Lord Jesus, is this my punishment for falling in love with a man with such a dark past?' she inwardly lamented.

Not too long after she suddenly burst into loud sobs, burying her face in Kazuya's pillow, his scent filling her nose as if in an attempt to comfort her.

End CH. 6!


	20. Unexpected Love: Ch. 7A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rescue mission!

"Why thank you, my dear Subaru," Heihachi thanked with an unusually genuine smile. He sat his mug of steaming coffee, that the woman had brought for him, on a coaster.

She nodded her head then cocked it to the side, midnight eyes questioning him.

"Sir, if I'm so inclined to ask...why is it that you are so light-hearted today?"

Heihachi sat back in his leather seat and smirked. "...Well, I cannot disclose the details, but let's just say my highest goal is about to be achieved tonight."

She paused, then nodded again, not entirely content with his reply. "All right. Congratulations on your achievements, Mr. Mishima...whatever they may be."

"Thanks again."

"So, is there anything else I can do for you?"

His eyes shifted to the ceiling in thought. "Err, yes there is. It should be a group of scientist coming by to visit me. They get top priority. If anyone else is waiting to see me, disregard them until I'm finished my meeting with the scientists. The head scientist's name is Otogi."

"As you wish, sir."

Subaru trotted out the door, her facial expression switched from a small smile to a concerned frown. This did not seem good.

'If scientists are coming here to meet with him, it must have something to do with Lee's brother. Perhaps Mr. Mishima was able to capture him and is now prepared to begin his project!' she concluded. 'Hm, so that's what the old man was so gleeful about. What a sicko. I'd better let Lee know about this!'

[a/r (author rant lol): idc how they tried to make Heihachi out to be a "good guy" in T7, the man is NOT a good person! He usurped his father, imprisoned and starved him to death. He waged wars with his super financial empire. He tried to kill both his young 5 year old innocent son and grandson. OK, so they have the devil gene like his late wife (who wanted to stop him from continuing wars btw)...but Jin def isn't a bad person and just seems to want peace and live a normal life. He killed Ogre cause the demon was out killing a lot of tournament participants, including his mom. If anything, Jin did the world a favor, but Heihachi tried to kill him over that cause he wanted the demon's power. And of course, Kazuya was just a child that was angry and grief-stricken over his father killing his mom, and Heihachi didn't even show any remorse when he told him. He seemed to have just rubbed it in his face to taunt him. Of course, Kazuya grew up to despise his father and become a cold, semi-evil, power-hungry person. Most people wouldn't turn out ideal after almost dying at the hands of their own father, their dad taunting them about killing his own wife and their mother, and being abused and neglected their whole childhood and adolescence. He went through hell at such a young age, for a long time. I bet if Heihachi just explained in a normal, gentle manner why he killed Kazuya's mom (and shown some remorse), and treated him like a loving father SHOULD, Kazuya would've prolly been a decent guy. I think he would still be a bit of a loner and have that pride of being from a wealthy family, but not a bad person. Sorry, I had to rant about that bs from T7!]

*

"I'm sorry to hear about that, babe. That's really messed up," Hwoarang remarked sadly, holding Monica's hands as they sat on the sofa. He'd never believe something like Jin and Kazuya getting killed for their...devil gene would happen. And now, Monica was left all alone, heart broken. 'At least Kazuya loved her enough to let her stay at his house.'

Monica closed her eyes, still grief-stricken, yet too weary to shed anymore tears.

"Yeah, things are just so crazy. I...I hate that man. Heihachi took 2 of my closest people from me," she stated bitterly. "I wish he was dead."

Hwoarang lifted his eyes to look at her, a tad shocked she said something so harsh. But under the circumstances, he couldn't blame her. He released her soft hands and pulled her over to him, laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her frame.

"I wish there was something I could do for you," he murmured.

That early afternoon, Monica had called Hwoarang, weeping into the phone. Alarmed and concerned, he demanded to know where she was. She managed to inform him she was at Kazuya's house. At first, he thought Kazuya had did something again, but she told him he did not. Somewhat relieved, he asked for her to give him the address. Instead, she sent Anikki out to pick him up. Once he arrived, she poured her heart out, spilling the whole story about Heihachi, Kazuya and Jin.

Presently, Monica snuggled into him for added comfort and security. Being held by the opposite sex always tended to make her feel better. "...You're doing enough, Red."

The 2 friends sat in mutual silence for awhile until they were interrupted by the telephone. Hwoarang sighed irritably.

"Want me to get that?" he offered.

She shook her head. "Nah. I got it."

The Korean removed his arms to allow her to get up. Monica leisurely picked up the phone, not really in the mood to talk to one of Kazuya's associates.

"Hello."

On the other line, Lee was a little relieved to know that someone answered. But he had to hear Kazuya.

"Hello. May I speak with Mr. Mishima?" he replied in Japanese, thinking the person was a servant.

"...Um, I don't speak Japanese. Can you speak in English?"

Lee quirked an eyebrow. "OK. Yes, certainly. I apologize. With whom am I speaking?"

"I believe I should be askin' you that."

"All right then. I am Lee, Kazuya's brother."

"...Lee? Oh, man...my fault. I forgot what your voice sounds like. This is Monica."

Lee smirked a bit. "Oh, you! I remember you, all right. How are you?"

"Not that good..."

"Oh, really? What's going on there? Is Kazuya around?"

Lee could hear her breathing change until it seemed like she was about to cry.

"No. He's...he's never comin' back," she answered painfully.

Lee's mouth dropped open. His heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be true...

"Wait. What do you mean he's never coming back?"

"...Heihachi got him. Jin too. That old man kidnapped me and Jin, then lured Kazuya to the mansion. He exchanged me for Kazuya but...he didn't let Jin go like he said he would."

Lee went pale. So, Subaru was correct. His father had Kazuya in his grasp. And on top of that, he had Jin! He had to get to Japan ASAP! There was still time left before Heihachi acted on his plans. Lee never admitted it, but over time he began to actually like Kazuya like a true brother.

"D*****!" he cursed. "I've gotta get to the mansion before it's too late!"

"Wh-what?! You don't understand, they're probably dead right now!" Monica exclaimed.

Lee had nearly forgotten about the young American on the other line. "No, they're not. A friend of mine that works for Heihachi has informed me that he's not going to start the project until later tonight. There is time."

Monica sighed awkwardly in great relief. "Thank, God! If you're goin' to that place, you gotta take me with you!"

Lee was touched at her determination. "Fine. I will be arriving there in about an hour and a half. So be ready."

"Got it. See you then."

They hung up.

"What was that about?" questioned Hwoarang curiously.

"It was Kazuya's brother. He had got news that Kazuya and Jin are still alive, at least until tonight. He's gonna come up here, pick us up, then take us to the mansion in an hour and a half. I'm gonna get changed," she rambled in one breath.

Quickly, she dashed up the stairs, her mood lightening considerably. Even Hwoarang felt relieved.

'Kazama. Looks like I'll get that rematch someday after all...'

* *

"So, how are we gonna sneak in there?" Monica asked Lee, who was driving.

His dark eyes fell on her. "Sneak? Who said anything about sneaking?" he asked slyly. "I got my connections. There's a couple butlers at the mansion that don't like my father. They're willing to let me in so I can free Kazuya and Jin." He focused on the road again. "The main thing we worry about is the small number of Tekken guards that may be keeping watch. And that shouldn't be much of a problem."

In the back, Hwoarang leaned in between the front seats.

"What do you mean 'shouldn't be much of a problem'? It won't be a prob. Did you forget you had another fighter here?"

Lee rolled his eyes. "OK, kid. I hope your bite is as good as your bark."

The Korean scowled. "D*** straight it is! And I'll demonstrate it on you if ya don't watch how you talk to me!"

"Boys, boys! That's enough! Concentrate on our task, please!" Monica ordered.

Lee harrumphed while Hwoarang frowned and sat back in his seat.

Another half hour later, they reached the mansion in relative peace. Lee called someone and after a short conversation, hung up.

"All right. One of the butlers told me there's about 6 men patrolling the place. Other than that, we should be fine. He is going to disable the gates and disarm the security system to open the door and keep us as discrete as possible. Let's head out."

The younger company nodded then got out the car with the silver-haired male. As expected, the gate was opening to let them onto the premises. Lee led the youngsters up to the door, keeping a watchful eye out for any guards who may be outside.

He quickly opened the door and darted in, followed by the girl and boy. Once inside, Hwoarang quietly shut the door. Lee peered around again for guards, then led them deeper into the mansion.

"Monica," he whispered. "What kinda room were Jin and Kazuya in?"

"...Some type of altar room, I guess."

The Chinese nodded, running over a mental map in his head. "OK, I remember where it is. It's on this floor."

He motioned for them to follow and strode quietly down the hall. They got about 15 feet farther until voices and footsteps sounded in their ears. Lee cursed inwardly, glancing around for a hiding spot. Only a side wall could block the men's view of them.

"Over there!" he rasped, pointing to the wall.

The group made a beeline to the spot and stood listening. Lee tensed his body, poised to strike the 1st man that came into sight. Hwoarang guided Monica farther into the corner as he took her place at the other fighter's side. He too steeled himself for attack.

The voices got nearer and nearer until the 2 guards finally came into view. Like a cobra attacking, Lee's foot shot out, kicking the gun out of the closest guard's hand. His other foot followed up with a kick to the man's chin.

The 2nd guard gasped in surprise then recovered, his hand going for his gun. Hwoarang was on him. With a swift, hard kick to the temple, the guard dropped to the floor unconscious, along with his comrade. It all occurred in under 4 seconds.

"That was pretty simple," the Korean commented, eyeing the fallen men.

"Yes. But we can't stay in one spot long. We've gotta get to the room and get out," Lee warned. "Come on. Help me drag these morons into the corner."

Monica observed them tug the unconscious Tekken members against the wall. She was impressed with how fast they could knock a person out.

A masculine hand grabbed hers, bringing her out of her stupor. Her eyes met with Lee's slightly amused ones.

"Let's go, my dear," he commanded airily, his other hand holding one of the guard's weapons.

She nodded and allowed him to lead her and Hwoarang down the hall.

Shortly the small group stopped at some double doors. Lee released the adolescent's hand to warily open the doors, and after seeing no threat, stepped inside. His eyes came across his unconscious sibling held up by thick chains. Jin was a little ways behind him in the same condition. At least they were unscathed. However, something was nagging at the back of his mind as to why they didn't break free of their confinements. Didn't the devil gene give them super strength?

His thoughts were interrupted upon feeling Monica brush past him.

She strolled up to Kazuya after climbing over the banister, and touched his bare shin.

"He's...still warm. He is alive," she uttered. Her head tilted up to inspect Kazuya's face. He had that indifferent expression just like Jin. She smiled. "We're gonna get you outta here. Both of you."

The girl sauntered away from her boyfriend to Jin.

"Lee, Hwoarang. Are y'all good climbers?"

The older man scratched his head. "Climb? Not me."

Hwoarang stepped up. "I could do it." He jogged up to Kazuya's post.

"Wait, no. I think there's a lever 'round here for Kazuya. The prob is gettin' Jin down. Plus, he's been up there longer," Monica informed.

Meanwhile, Jin was having a strange dream. He was dreaming that he had to climb up a mountain to reach his mother, who was stranded and frightened at the top. Along the way, Heihachi appeared and the two fought and struggled on the rocky surface to reach Jun first. To his horror, the man managed to knock him off the slope. Thankfully, he was brought back to consciousness after sensing himself falling.

Jin snapped open his eyes as he dropped to the floor, landing on his feet and hands. He gasped air for a moment before his ears picked up on light footfalls approaching. It was his d*** grandfather! He remembered vaguely that he was brought to the mansion and tied up.

His hate and anger rose sharply and he shot up and grasped his grandparent's throat with a half yell, half snarl. The male screamed as Jin thrust him roughly against the wall.

Monica blinked into Jin's red eyes, her heart pounding in her ears. The black markings reappeared over his arms and forehead. Onyx wings sprout out of his back behind him. Her eyes saw Hwoarang and Lee start moving toward them. She shook her head to signal them to stop. In his current state, Jin would rip them to shreds.

Jin blinked, his vision clearing. This person was not Heihachi. It wasn't even a man. He peered into her face. She looked familiar, but he couldn't quite remember.

"Jin?" she whispered apprehensively.

That voice! Now he recalled. She was his roommate.

"Monica..." he growled weakly. He leaned his head against hers, closing his eyes and inhaling her scent. His wrath died down with his hatred. Suddenly, he released her and dropped to his knees, his energy spent. "I'm sorry." He embraced her waist. "Did I hurt you?" he murmured throatily, nuzzling her lower stomach.

His friend absently rubbed her neck, noticing Jin's mildly unusual behavior. "N-no. I'm OK, just a little scared."

Right now, Jin's mind was still unsettled and generally running on demonic instincts. While he recognized the girl, he only felt his attraction to her. A low growl escaped his throat and his hold on her tightened.

Lee and Hwoarang exchanged wary glances, yet remained a distance away.

Monica tensed up then pushed on her roommate's muscled shoulders. "Jin..."

The demi-demon ignored her and began nuzzling lower, now below her waistband. It was nearly as bad as dealing with Devil the 1st time! Starting to blush in embarrassment, Monica immediately grabbed Jin's head, forcing him to look up at her.

"Jin, look at me! Snap out of it!" she ordered sharply, slight fear rising in her tone. Now was not the time for him to be acting like that. They had to get a move on.

Something in the Japanese's red orbs disappeared and he blinked rapidly, his hold on her loosening. "Ugh. Sorry about that," he mumbled, rubbing his head.

The girl let go of him and sighed shakily. "Everything OK?"

"Yes, I think so. I just...feel a little disoriented...weak."

As he spoke, a purple aura glowed around him, erasing the markings, wings and demonic eyes. He was normal again.

After watching him attempt to stand and barely succeed, Monica rushed to his side to support him.

"...Did you rescue me all by yourself?" Jin questioned curiously, staring at her.

She shook her head. "Nah. I got help..."

"Yo, Kazama! Didn't look like yourself a moment ago," came Hwoarang's playful voice.

Jin and Monica faced him.

"Hwoarang? ...Violet?"

"Not Violet, Jin. That was my cover name in the tournament. The name's Lee. Lee Chaolan. I'm Kazuya's foster brother," the silver-haired male explained.

Jin cocked his head to the side like a confused child. "Oh... So, you're my adopted uncle then. That's new."

The womanizer shrugged.

Jin's eyes soon took notice of his father tied up by chains. He gasped. "Dad! How did my grandfather find him?!"

"He didn't..." answered Monica. "He came here to get us out. But it was only a set up for Heihachi to capture him too. He let me go, but not you."

Jin frowned. "We've got to make him pay... He's only going to continue to hunt us down after this."

Everyone grew quiet for a moment.

"Well...let's get Kazuya down now," Lee spoke up. "Hwoarang, you mind closing those doors? We don't want any passing guards to spot us here."

The redhead nodded then jogged over to the entrance, checking the hall before quietly shutting the doors. Meanwhile, Lee searched around the altar for some type of switch. Once he discovered it, he pulled on it. Straight away, Kazuya fell to the floor with a loud thump.

The scarred male groaned, feeling mild pain in his back and skull. His ears heard footsteps approaching. Warm hands touched his face. He gradually forced open his eyes to see...Jun kneeling over him. What?! Jun? Was he dead now?

TO BE CONTINUED...


	21. Unexpected Love: Ch. 7B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunited, only to stay behind.

He squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them. Jun's face vanished and was replaced by Monica's.

"...Bishoujo?" he asked in disbelief.

The gir nodded vigorously, a huge grin on her lips.

He sat up slowly. "Kami, I'm glad to see you. I thought I'd never get this opportunity again," he murmured. His hand gently cupped her face, where he saw a bruise from his father's blow. "How'd...how'd you get here?"

She briefly shut her eyes at his touch. "I got some unexpected help from a relative of yours." Her hands dropped to his chest. "Kaz,' I'm so relieved we made it here in time...if it wasn't for Lee callin' and comin' to Japan...you 2 would probably be...gone."

Her eyes started to water up and her voice faltered. Hwoarang, Lee and Jin all looked on and could clearly see how much the pair loved each other. It was as if nobody else was in the room with them. They were only aware of each other.

Kazuya sighed heavily. "Well, I'm still here...and you are here with me. That is all that really matters."

They stared into each other's eyes before Kazuya slowly pushed her head towards his and began to kiss her passionately. Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to cradle her in his lap.

The others stood idly away, watching the scene and feeling foolish.

Hwoarang felt a tad envious, but he was happy if Monica was happy. Kazuya must be a pretty decent guy after all.

Jin had gotten over his jealousy, recently. As long as his father had love in his life and Monica was treated right, he didn't mind. Besides, they needed each other. And now that he thought about it, there was always another girl over in America. Maybe he would see her again?

Lee on the other hand, was still surprised that Kazuya had indeed fallen for an American. He would never think Kazuya's heart could warm up again after Jun. Monica had certainly changed him somewhat from his old self.

The trio let the pair continue kissing for a few more moments until Hwoarang figured he should remind them of his presence. He did not appreciate Kazuya distracting Monica so much that she forgot about himself!

"Ahem!"

Monica pulled away from a reluctant Kazuya and smiled in embarrassment. He kept her in his arms, however, and acknowledged the other men.

"...Oh, I had no idea you 3 were here watching us," he quipped, sounding a little irritated. His eyes noted how the Korean supported Jin. "Son, are you all right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, dad. Just kinda weak from lack of food and those chains. They felt like they were draining my strength."

"Yes, I see what you mean. I haven't been in the chains as long as you, so I don't feel that bad. The old man had said the chains were made with a material that neutralizes the devil gene's power." He glanced down at the Nubian girl, who was looking content resting her head on his shoulder. "But anyhow, it's a good thing we didn't become subjects of his experiment..." He looked up at Lee. "Hey, I...just want to say thank you. You've been of great help...brother."

Lee was stunned Kazuya actually called him 'brother' after so many years. It meant a lot to him. To be finally accepted as a true sibling. He bowed his head.

"Don't mention it. I know we had our ups and downs, but in the end we are family. And family should stick together."

Kazuya nodded and smiled [a/n: what? Lol] then gazed at Hwoarang. "Kid, you're all right. Thanks for being there for her," he said, referring to Monica.

The redhead smirked. "Anytime, man."

"...OK, that's enough small talk. I suppose we have no time to waste?"

"Right," replied Lee. "Father should be on his way back from the office. I had gotten a tip from his secretary about him meeting up with his scientists today. He mentioned that he wanted to start on the project sometime tonight. So we better get outta here while we can."

Monica got off Kazuya and stood. He followed suit.

"Good idea. You all go on without me. I'm going to stay behind and surprise my wretched father."

Everyone sent a shocked gaze in his direction. "What?!" they all exclaimed.

"...You heard me. I'm staying here and confronting my father. As long as we keep running, he'll continue to chase after us. I must settle things now and get him out of our hair."

The men, especially Jin, could not disagree. Heihachi was relentless and would not stop until Kazuya and Jin were once again in his grasp. Monica was a different story.

"Kazuya, no! How can you do this?! What if he tries something dirty and I never see you again?!" she cried, clinging onto him.

He calmly grabbed hold of her hands. "Monica, don't think so negatively. Everything will turn out fine. I have been training myself vigorously for hours a day. I believe I have a good shot at defeating the old coot."

The girl bit her lip and looked away, her eyes getting moist again. "I don't want to leave you here."

Kazuya seized her chin, turning her face toward him. "Monica, listen to me. Don't you see? Heihachi will simply continue to track us down. He won't stop. I cannot risk your safety...nor Jin's." He kissed her softly. "Koi, you have to leave this place."

Monica frowned yet let him lead her and the guys out the room. They checked for any Tekken soldiers, then strolled to the exit of the mansion.

"Dad, good luck. Win for all of us," Jin farewelled.

Kazuya ruffled his hair with a smirk. "You bet, Jin. Now you and the Korean get a move on while the coast is clear."

Hwoarang nodded his goodbye and towed Jin along down the walkway to the car.

Kazuya turned to Monica. "Bishoujo, don't worry yourself to death. You will see me later tonight, OK?"

She cupped his face. "Promise. Promise me you'll come back."

He looked down for a moment, then gazed into her eyes. "All right. I promise I'll come back to you..." He planted a tender kiss on her forehead for emphasis. "Now go, please."

For awhile she stood staring worriedly at him.

"Lee, get her out of here. Don't let her get out that car," the karate fighter instructed, eyes never leaving Monica's.

The foster-sibling immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and led her away. She struggled in his grip for an instant, then stopped.

"Kazuya! Don't forget...you promised me!" she half-sobbed.

Aforementioned man took a deep breath, closing his eyes, then sighed. It pained him to see her so upset, especially when it was over him. He observed the silver-haired Chinese sit her in the backseat with slight difficulty since she attempted to escape. After stooping down, holding her hands and having a short conversation with her, Lee stood up. The dark-skinned female nodded reluctantly, seemingly resigned with the situation. He gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, closed the door and retreated to the driver seat. In the passenger seat, he could make out Hwoarang turning to face her and say something. Monica smiled faintly before replying to him.

As they pulled off, Kazuya witnessed Jin lean over and pull Monica into his arms to comfort her. The girl gratefully fell into his embrace, wrapping her limbs about his waist while he rest his chin atop her head.

Despite the situation, Kazuya found himself smiling faintly. If he did happen to fail to defeat his father, he knew the teenager would be in good hands. Obviously, she and Jin were close. His son was always there for her to talk to or rely on. It probably wouldn't take long for the 2 to become lovers. But, then again, there was the Korean. He and Monica were very good friends. The chances of them getting together were almost as good. It could go either way. He preferred Jin be with her, of course.

He stopped and scoffed inwardly, closing the door. That was a big 'if'. He didn't know why he bothered thinking that nonsense. His father was going down, there was no argument or doubt.

His musings were cut short upon hearing someone groan and move around. Curious, yet suspicious, he stalked toward the noises and came across 2 Tekken men getting to their feet. They appeared to have been roughed up and confused. Why didn't he see them before?

"Tsk, tsk! You 2 know better than to sleep on the job," Kazuya teased, startling the men.

One of them recognized Kazuya. "Say, are you...the boss's son?!"

The karate fighter held his hands up in defeat. "I hate to admit it, but yes I am."

"W-what are you doing roaming around? You're supposed to be unconscious," he sputtered with growing anxiety, reaching for his gun. He didn't find it.

The other guard did the same, also yielding the same result. Kazuya quirked an eyebrow.

"Missing something? Sorry, looks like your weapons are back in the room I was in."

Swiftly the previous guard grabbed his 2-way radio to contact his comrades. "Black Wolf, this is Red Coyote..."

'Oh, no you don't! You're not going to alert the rest of those pests,' Kazuya thought.

'Why don't you let me have some entertainment?' came Devil's voice. 'I'm itching to shed some blood, especially Heihachi's.'

Kazuya hesitated. 'OK, fine, demon. I'll let you handle these henchmen and any others that may be in this house. I just want some peace and relaxation now.'

'No problem...'

-

"Red Coyote, this is Black Wolf responding. Over..."

He waited with growing annoyance but never received a reply. Rolling his eyes, he decided to switch off his radio.

'Must've been bored.'

Little did he know, 2 floors up, "Red Coyote" and his partner dropped to the floor once again, never to get back up.

~

Heihachi returned home, smiling. In a matter of hours his dream will be a reality. Not only was he going to be rid of his son, but his grandson would no longer be a problem either. All he has to do is call up the science team to let them know when he was ready for them to come and start the project.

He strutted down the hall, smirking as he neared the room in which his offspring and key to his future were. Unfortunately, he was too wrapped up in his pondering and gloating to notice the small dark puddle on the floor.

Heihachi was harshly shaken back to reality upon slipping on the liquid and falling onto his rump with a shrill cry of shock.

"S***!" he muttered in his language. He rubbed his sore bottom. "Those housekeepers..."

His voice trailed off after feeling something wet on his rear. Frowning, he brought his hand around to inspect it to see dark red. He sniffed at it, a metallic scent entering his nostrils. Blood.

Heihachi's eyebrows knitted together. Why was there blood on the floor and whose was it?

Slowly he crawled to his feet, frowning in disgust and suspicion. He wiped his hand off on his pant leg before realizing that the blood led a trail into the altar room. On alert, Heihachi flung open the doors, only to see 2 of his men sitting up against the altar railing. Their faces were frozen with a frightened expression, eyes staring blankly at him. There were bloody tears in their uniforms, as if a bear had mauled them.

At first, the old male was a little scared, but when he discovered Kazuya and Jin were missing from their restraints, he grew enraged. But...just how exactly did they escape from those chains? Those chains seemed to be working just fine! Someone must've helped them. Could it have been that girl? No. She would not have made it past the guards, let alone the security system. Perhaps... He scowled. Somebody had betrayed him and let Jin and Kazuya go.

He silently vowed to kill whoever the traitor was, once (and if) he found out. Now that his 2 prizes were gone, it would take months or even years to track them down again. The men were not stupid enough to hang around.

The old man let out a shaky sigh, attempting to control his anger. Once again his plans will have to wait...

Heihachi stood in the center of his spacious den, dressed in a fresh gray gi. He was wondering where everyone went, so that they could be interrogated. Usually, he'd be greeted by one of his butlers or a Tekken guard. Instead, all he had been greeted by was silence ever since he came home. And he found it rather unnerving. The mansion seemed like a ghost town. Was everybody dead somewhere? Probably not. He was certain there would be more bodies or at least blood lying around.

The elderly Mishima strolled over to a nearby window and stared quietly out at the horizon. Something wasn't right. Several minutes later, he grew tired of thinking and decided to notify his science team about the cancellation. He still was in disbelief that his plans were so close, only to be dashed upon the rocks.

He spun around and started sauntering to his phone, when something flickered out the corner of his eye. His head swiveled in its direction. There standing 5 meters away, was Kazuya. He was dressed in one of Heihachi's gi's and had a smug smirk on his lips.

The old man blinked then frowned deeply.

"...Kazuya," he ground out. "What have you done with my men?! And what are you still doing here?!"

The younger Japanese scoffed, unswayed by the venom in his father's words. He waved a hand carelessly.

"Oh, the Tekken guards? I had little to do with that. Let's just say a certain someone wanted a go at the 2, the rest, he merely destroyed their communicators and scared them away. Needless to say, the other employees didn't stick around either."

Heihachi narrowed his fiery eyes. "You mean Jin?"

"No, wrong. It was my counterpart."

The old fighter knew who he meant, the thought creating a flash of apprehension in his aging countenance. That beast was very dangerous and unpredictable, possibly even more so than Kazumi's demon.

"Hm. Well, tell me this: who set you and your son free? I will disembowel them so that they have a slow, agonizing death."

At this, Kazuya sent Heihachi a sharp glare. He would not let the nut lay a finger on Monica and Lee, not even Hwoarang!

To Be Continued...!


	22. Unexpected Love: Ch. 7C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final showdown!

"It was 3 people that never liked your sorry a**! That's who it was!" Kazuya took a step forward, even though his father looked very ticked off. "And to answer your other question: I'm still here so I can extract my revenge on you. Like I said before, I will get everything back. You'll be on the streets, striving to make a living like the low-life you are!"

Heihachi snorted. "You are still a deluded fool! The Zaibatsu will never be in your control; you are too weak, boy!"

The blood in Kazuya's veins began to boil, but he did not let Heihachi see his anger. Instead, he put on a cold smirk, crossing his arms.

"Ya know, that's a lot of talk for a man who only has a few years of life remaining at best. I'm impressed."

That comeback hit its target. Heihachi's cocky expression was replaced with stupor. He quickly recovered his wounded pride with a glower.

"That's it. You wish to get your revenge? Very well, we shall battle in the dojo. When I defeat you, you will be used in my plans as before."

Kazuya rolled his eyes at the latter comment. "If you defeat me. God, old man, you're too confident for your own good," he told him. "That may lead to your downfall."

Heihachi huffed and swaggered out the room, followed by an annoyed Kazuya. The younger fighter couldn't wait to prove him wrong.

*

"All right, father, it's just you and I now. No cameras...no crowds," the scarred fighter stated, a challenging glint in his eyes. "If victory is mine, the Mishima Zaibatsu is mine unconditionally. You will be banned from all facilities associated with the empire. Should you set foot on my property, either the Tekkenshu will hunt you down and kill you with no hesitation, or I'll kill you myself."

Heihachi chuckled, mocking him. "What nonsense...but very well, you are entitled to dream."

He got into a fighting stance.

Kazuya shrugged carelessly. Small talk was just a waste of time. He was ready to fight. He had been training himself steadily and felt confident that he had a good chance emerging victorious. In addition, Devil was behind him 100%. He was almost as eager as himself to beat Heihachi unconscious.

"Hmmph!" The ex-KOIF snapped into his stance, allowing his energy to flow throughout his body. The result was an impressive display of bolts flashing across his torso, arms and legs. It was a trait the Mishima's were admired for.

Heihachi noticed the change in his son. Instead of the blind rage and hate that usually burned within his depths, there was determination and coldness. Aside from that, he was more focused and literally radiated power. This time he will prove to be most difficult to defeat.

The old man snorted inwardly. He will defeat Kazuya! And that's final!

The 2 men circled around each other, searching for an opening in the other's guard.

All of a sudden, Heihachi dashed over to his son with a makeshift right hook. The anger in the attack made it predictable, despite the speed and power. Kazuya sidestepped the attack and grabbed the incoming arm with a hand. His foot then connected with the side of his parent's head as he swung his leg up. In turn, his foot came crashing back down onto him, sending him plummeting face-first into the wooden floor.

Spitting a little blood, Heihachi scraped himself off the floor, getting more than annoyed. As he stood, Kazuya stepped toward him, prepared to throw a long-rang punch with his right, yet was intercepted and thrown back by both his father's hands flying at him, palms open and held together vertically. Sparks flew between the 2 as Kazuya was propelled back, landing on the floor on the back of his shoulders.

The impact wasn't enough to keep him down for long though, and he simply flipped back up onto his feet from that position, ungainly as it was. He wasn't impressed with sudden violent attacks, but he wouldn't fall for a hasty one, like Heihachi did previously. As the old timer lunged towards him again, he countered the move by ducking low and swinging his right leg about beneath him, letting his body complete 2 turns on is other foot. It was slow and awkward, but effective; Heihachi was caught by the swinging limb, tripping over it and landing flat on his backside.

The elder Mishima got up as Kazuya flew at him with an attack he'd never seen before. So far, Kazuya had one attack of his own and the other, he had hand-taught the boy. This one for once, was mighty fast. Before he knew what was happening, he was met with an unnaturally swift flying kick (courtesy of Devil's influence) and under the 220 lbs of raw muscle hurtling towards him behind the extended leg, he was thrown back again.

Once more, Heihachi found himself lying on the floor, with his son waiting for him to stand. It was time to teach the egotistical fool a lesson or two in fighting.

Flipping onto his bare feet, the old male stooped low as he steadied himself, then launched upward with a rather powerful and most likely, painful uppercut with his fist. Kazuya, unsuspecting of the attack, took full brunt of the fist in jaw. He cried out in pain as he stumbled backward, landing unceremoniously on the hard wooden floor.

A snarl escaped the younger fighter's lips as he stood, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand in disgust. He raised his arms before him again, ready to block whatever Heihachi would throw at him next. For the moment, neither made a move, they just waited for the other to fight.

Finally, after the prolonged inactivity, Kazuya chose to launch his attack.

"By the way, this one is for putting your hands on my woman," the dark-haired man warned, earning a raised eyebrow at the unexpected comment.

Stepping forward, he feigned a short-medium range punch, only to pull back as Heihachi moved away to parry it. As the scarred man pulled back, his right leg shot up in a high, strong roundhouse to strike the elder man in the head. Momentarily, Heihachi wavered, then began to collapse as he saw stars for a few seconds. That blow packed a little more power than his other ones so far. As he fell, Kazuya leaped forward again with the flying kick, striking his father in the chest. Heihachi was sent crashing into the floor another time.

With a grunt, the gray-haired male right himself, dusting off his gi quickly before standing guard. This was terrible—Kazuya actually was proving to be more difficult indeed. He had to put an end to that.

Surging forth, he reached out for the other karate fighter with his right arm. Mistaking the move for a punch, Kazuya readied himself to block...but found in a flash, his head being caught under the old man's arm, bent on his knees. He was unable to breathe correctly, thus unable to defend himself.

Had an onlooker been present, he would have noticed brilliant yellow sparks crawling over the elder Mishima's body.

Choking for breath, Kazuya managed to spit out his disgust at his father's tactics, "You cowardly dog...!"

With that, Heihachi tightened his grip and pulled back at a dangerous angle, snapping Kazuya's neck back. The younger man fell back onto the cool wooden floor, body limp and still. Smirking, Heihachi stood over him, arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, well...look what we have here—aaahh!"

Before he could continue, the dark-haired warrior had swung a leg out whilst lying down, flipped the old man onto his back, and sat down on his waist with both legs curled around his parent's. Grabbing an ankle with both hands, he forced the leg to bend and pulled down at an unnatural angle, wrenching a cry of agony from the old man's throat.

This time, Kazuya smirked. He stood, rubbing his sore neck, then drew his arms up to guard. Jun's self-defense techniques were useful after all. He also had the beast within to thank for sending healing energy to his neck. Devil was never this helpful before, maybe it was because the both of them had someone to go back to?

"What exactly do we have here, old coot?"

With a snarl on his lips, Heihachi got to his feet, standing uneasily on his mildly damaged leg. If anything, it hurt, but not enough to affect his combat efficiency.

"You sly little b****!"

That was nearly enough to tip Kazuya over the edge. It was that kind of insult, coming from that a**hole, that was one of the few things that enraged him. Eye flashing red and electricity snapping around his body, Kazuya stepped forward without warning, slamming his left foot into Heihachi's head, the right fist in a high punch to his jaw. Then, his right foot shot up into another high kick, followed by his left fist. He then ended the combo with an Entrail's Smash to the gut. [a/n: I think this is the perfect time to say it... {Tekken Announcer: GREAT!}] Heihachi fell to the floor, hard. Giving him no recovery time, Kazuya violently stomped down, barely missing the senior's chest as he quickly rolled away.

Clambering to his feet, the elder man returned the favor, regardless of the ache in his midsection after the attacks. Leaping into the air, he kicked out at his son with 1 foot, and using the impact from the attack, he spun around midair and struck with the other foot on a half spin. With the sheer force and power behind the attack, Kazuya found himself sprawling to the floor once more, unable to move for a couple moments.

He rolled over a few seconds later and stood up. Darkly, he chuckled at the situation.

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to be one of those fights where we spend more time on our backs than our feet?"

"Probably because you're a hopeless fighter."

Kazuya scoffed. "Who's the one getting his a** kicked more?"

It was true... Heihachi was bleeding in several places and in comparison, Kazuya had a few rising bruises and split lip. It hurt to smirk, so he avoided doing so. Heihachi felt a sting of humiliation.

Again, Kazuya leaped at the old man with a flurry of punches. The elder managed to block a few before retaliating with his own. The 2 exchanged haymaker kicks and punches, just trying to pummel each other, until the old timer pulled out another strong uppercut [a/n: it's funny how I wrote them throwing haymakers at each other and in the actual fight in T7, they did the same thing during the last part of the fight! lol]. Kazuya only managed to partially block it, sending him stumbling backwards across the floor. He caught his balance and sprinted straight back at the senior citizen. As he got within range, he jumped, raising 1 knee and landed a leaping side-kick directly into his father's chest.

Somehow Heihachi got back up, wiping sweat off his brow. The scarred fighter surged forward for an attack, yet the other karate fighter swung around backward, then struck with a powerful backfist into the stomach. Kazuya was sent hurtling backward across the floor again.

The dark-haired male caught himself as he slid across the floor and bounced back onto his feet. It was time to finish this. The battle had gone on for too long. Both of them were losing energy. As Heihachi ran toward him, Kazuya ducked low and stepped forward, fist ready to strike. An opportunity arose as the older man was caught off guard with the tactic and was sent flying high into the air as Kazuya rose with considerable power in the electrified blow...the Electric Wind God Fist. His father dropped onto the floor far away and lied there for what seemed like forever.

The fight was over.

Kazuya slowly approached the figure on the floor several meters away. He stood beside him, arms folding over his heaving chest.

From the floor, the old man's eyes snapped open and stared up at his son, his vision a bit cloudy. His visage displayed his livid anger at his defeat.

Between his teeth he ground out, "We are not done...yet..."

The younger man dragged him up by the wrist, throwing him backward. The elder stumbled, yet caught himself. His breathing was ragged and he was uncertain on his feet.

"We are done...but if you think you must continue, then be my guest. I will only have to kill you."

With a roar of utter rage, Heihachi threw himself at the other man, fist extending dangerously close to Kazuya's face. On reflex, he managed to step aside, making way for his father to crumple back to the floor.

The temptation was almost too great. There he was, the man who'd stolen and ruined his life before it had begun, the man who'd tortured and beaten him throughout his youth. The man that ruined his reputation and caused him to become a loathsome creature...here he was, lying at his feet. He was defenseless and defeated. All it took was one strike, one decisive blow to end that wicked life right there and then.

But a few things stopped him before the deadly blow was dealt. He thought of Monica and what she would think of him if he did kill the worthless bastard. She had no need to know of his merciless nature. He would probably lose her trust and in its place, earn her fear. He certainly did not want that to happen. And Jin...the last embers of his savior's soul. Whilst he resembled himself in appearance, Jin radiated the beauty, compassion and love of Jun. The innocence and delicate nature of the late Jun Kazama was enough to turn his blood cold at the mere thought of killing...even if it was in the seclusion of the family dojo.

Finally, with a sigh, Kazuya crouched down in front of the old man, pulling his face up by the neck with a hand. For almost an eternity, the 2 exchanged their vehement glares, then Kazuya spoke.

"As much as you have tried to make me become you...your efforts have been in vain. I am not like you...I do not kill for no reason. As much as you deserve to die, I won't lower myself to your repulsive level and take even the most vile and undeserving life of all. As you promised, the Zaibatsu is now mine...but your life is yours. Do what you want with your remaining years. But rest assured, I better not see your mug in Tokyo ever again, or else the Tekkenshu will destroy you."

He then shifted his grasp from the beaten man's throat, to the rear of his collar.

"Come. I think it's time you call and let your lawyers know about the transfer of ownership," he half-teased, dragging the old man along.

Heihachi only grumbled curses in response, apparently not so happy and too exhausted to stand.

Kazuya hoped his father would learn his lesson and not return...but as he'd learn through his childhood and adolescence, there are so many punishments worse than death.

* *

Jin watched Monica stir restlessly as she napped on the sofa. She had basically cried herself to sleep after they had come to his father's house. He and Hwoarang took turns trying to comfort her, beings that he had needed to put something on his stomach; he had been seriously hungry. It wasn't until 10 minutes later that she ended up falling asleep in his arms. Meanwhile, Lee had a grim expression plastered on his face, once in a while sending a pitying glance at the grieving girl. Otherwise, the silver-haired man kept to his thoughts.

Besides trying to placate Monica, Hwoarang busied himself with rummaging through Kazuya's kitchen for snacks or watching TV. Underneath his indifferent exterior he was a tad concerned about the turnout of the Mishima fight. He silently hoped Kazuya would win, not only for the world's sake, but Monica's as well.

He sneaked a glance at the dark-skinned female lying asleep on the couch across from him and sighed. It was unbelievable how much she wept over Kazuya...she couldn't seem to stop, even when he and Jin tried to calm her. But fortunately, the poor girl had simmered down and dozed off...albeit in Jin's arms. At least he didn't stay where he was and switched to a chair instead.

Speaking of Jin... His dark orbs swung over to his former rival. He was observing the girl snoozing, a shadow of worry and reflection in his visage. After a moment, Jin focused on the TV instead, still appearing to be thinking.

Hwoarang then checked on the silent Lee, who was still looking grave, staring blankly at the television screen. The Korean shook his head, reverting his attention on the TV. Every person in the room was affected by the fight between Heihachi and Kazuya.

It was dark outside and the time was going on 8:45. Another 10 minutes elapsed until Hwoarang picked up on a car engine whirring outside the house. His head swiveled in its direction, brows creasing in curiosity and mild surprise.

"Hey, is that someone's car pulling into the driveway?" he questioned.

Jin and Lee tore their eyes off the TV and listened. Sure enough the faint sound of a motor was heard. Lee narrowed his eyes in suspicion, stood and strode into the guest room to check it out. Hwoarang and Jin glanced at each other then got up to follow Lee in case they had unwelcome guests.

Meanwhile, Lee heard the engine cut off and a car door slam. Frowning, he readied himself for the intruder's invasion. His eyes caught movement and he glanced up to see the 2 young men approaching. He swiftly held up a hand to signal them to stop and stay where they were.

The 2 youngsters appeared dumbfounded, yet obeyed.

Footsteps sounded on the porch before the doorknob turned and the door swung open...in stepped the large figure of a man.

Lee dashed forth, fist poised and ready to strike the trespasser. But then the man stepped into better lighting and Lee skidded to a halt, recognizing this person.

Kazuya looked up to see someone coming at him and flinched in surprise. Luckily the attacker had stopped a couple feet away from him and it was then that the martial artist realized who it was...Lee!

"Kami-sama, Lee!" Kazuya exclaimed, crossing his arms. "You startled me for a moment there! Were you expecting father to show up?!"

Lee could only gaze at his foster sibling, totally flabbergasted for a few moments before a big grin spread over his face.

"Kazuya! Kami, it's good to see you've come back!"

Without warning, he threw his arms around the older man in a welcoming hug. Kazuya grunted and stood idly, not exactly liking the mushy show of affection from his brother.

"Lee..." he warned lowly.

Feeling embarrassed, the silver-haired fighter pulled away, rubbing the back of his head. "Err...sorry. Just glad you beat father and all..." he mumbled sheepishly.

Kazuya attempted to smirk, but his cut lip prevented him from doing so.

Hearing Kazuya's name, Jin and Hwoarang jogged up to the siblings with interest. Jin beamed, happy and relieved.

"Dad!" he burst.

Kazuya couldn't quite grin, but his eyes told how glad he was to see his son. "Hey, Jin."

The boy dully noted his father's new bruises on his face and split lip, but gratefully embraced him. He knew it was a long battle.

At first Kazuya just stood there, yet his emotions got the best of him and he slung an arm around his only son, letting out a weak sigh. It felt good to come back to family that actually loved him. After a few moments, the 2 pulled away, Jin's smile still in place.

Kazuya strolled farther into the room, after closing the door behind him. This time, he was met by the redhead Korean. The young man smiled faintly, dipping his head in a bow.

"Congratulations, man..."

Kazuya nodded in return. "Thanks."

All the while, Monica had been awakened by the commotion and got off the sofa, rubbing her tired eyes. Was that...Kazuya's voice she heard?

She trudged into the guest room and froze upon spotting the man she came to love. Her hand went to her bosom, her heart doing somersaults.

"...Kazuya?" she whispered.

The scarred warrior and the other men spun in her direction. He blinked and stepped forward. His love swelled at the sight of her. Despite the increasing buoyancy in her visage, her champagne eyes had rings under them, revealing how...worn out she was. She probably was crying over him. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to hold her close.

"Bishoujo.... I came back. As I promised," he joked lightly. His dark eyes softened.

Monica smiled widely, tears of joy threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Oh, Kazuya!" she breathed.

With that, the girl ran into his waiting arms and clung to him. Simultaneously, Kazuya's strong limbs encircled her tightly, crushing her against his chest. They stood like that for a while, Kazuya breathing in the scent of her hair. Eyes closed. Monica's face was buried in the crook of his neck while she strove to keep her sobs in check.

Lee knew they would want some privacy, so he tapped Jin and Hwoarang on the back, then motioned for them to follow him out the room.

A moment after the others left out the room, Monica lift her head from Kazuya's shoulder and started showering his battle-worn face with moist kisses. The man savored the feeling, fighting the urge to smile; nonetheless he let out a small hiss of pain once Monica's lips pressed onto his cut one.

Concerned and unsure, the girl stopped immediately, staring up at him.

"Easy, Monica. I got a split lip here," he informed softly.

She cupped his face, peering at his bottom lip. "Ooh, I see now... My fault. I didn't notice it, I was so happy." Her eyes scanned over his face to see 4 distinct bruises. "Must've been some fight, huh?"

He nodded, frowning slightly. "Yeah. But he talked a lot more trash more than anything else. And now...he has learned his lesson. We won't be hearing from that no-good-for-nothing any longer." He sighed wearily. "The Zaibatsu is mine..."

Monica grinned, happy and proud of him. She breathed in the fragrance of soap and took note of the slightly damp locks of hair on his head; he must've recently taken a shower.

"Wow. The empire is finally yours again. It must feel great to know that..."

His eyes glowed in triumph. "Yes, it really does." He swung her around once, chuckling. She squealed in response. "This is the happiest day in my life. I've got you...Jin...and the Zaibatsu."

Monica laughed merrily throwing her arms around his neck, letting him dip her low as if they were dancing. Once they straightened back up she questioned, "So...what exactly did happen to Heihachi?"

Her stomach became uneasy at the thought of a worst-case scenario: Kazuya killed him.

His light-heartedness faded a bit at the interrogation. "Hmph. The old man has basically been banished from Tokyo and all facilities involved with the Zaibatsu. As we speak, he is boarding a plane out of town. Anyhow...after all the paperwork is done for transfer of ownership of the Zaibatsu, I will be able to move into the Mishima mansion. ...Jin too, if he wants. From there it'll be smooth sailing, and I vow to make the Zaibatsu worth something."

Monica looked down in thought. On one hand, she was overjoyed that Kazuya won the great battle with his father and got the Mishima Zaibatsu (plus he didn't kill Heihachi). On the other, she thought about what he said about moving into the mansion. He did not mention her. Was it possible that now that he has the Zaibatsu back, he no longer needed her? ...Maybe. And on top of that, she was supposed to be going back to the States...back to family and friends. Should she leave Kazuya and Jin behind?

Kazuya brought her back to reality with a squeeze on the shoulder.

"Come on, I have to tell the others the good news too."

She nodded solemnly, trotting behind him.

* * *

"Hey, Bishoujo," greeted Kazuya, stepping through the door.

"Hey, Kazuya," Monica replied with a weak smile. "What's up?" 'Oh, man, I don't even have myself together! I hope I don't look too bad.'

He smiled before kissing her cheek. "I'm here to help Jin move his things. The moving truck is outside waiting."

Monica's eyebrows arched. "Huh? It's OK to move into the mansion?"

He nodded, smile spreading. "That's right. All the work has been done and processed. So...where's Jin?"

Monica's heart sank even more. Still, he did not say anything about her moving in with him and Jin. It was a discrete way of letting her know he did not need her now. That she was free to return home, if she wanted.

Exhaling heavily, she masked her emotional pain with a semi-happy facade. "Oh, Jin. He's upstairs. He had already packed his clothes and things yesterday. So, you had nice timing."

"That's great to hear. Saves me a lot of time." Kazuya leaned out the door and hollered to the moving men. "You! Come in here and help with my son's belongings! Stop standing around like some jacka**es!"

Monica tilted her head, wondering what the man yelled to the movers.

Kazuya then came back in and jogged upstairs, calling Jin.

The girl watched him and sat down into the loveseat. A few moments later, 3 men came strolling in, looking around the living room. Their eyes landed on her, silently asking for help. She couldn't help but smile. Luckily, not only did Jin put the items he wished to take in boxes, but he had told her exactly what else he was taking as well.

Unsure if the men understood English, she got up and touched all the boxed things, the stereo system and a few others that couldn't be packaged. They all nodded before hefting some of the items away.

After almost everything that was going was in the truck, Monica hugged Jin tightly. This was probably the last time she'll see him.

A little astonished, Jin managed a grin and patted her back. "Wow. You must be really happy, huh? But...there were some good memories in this place, I think. Especially when you moved in."

The girl released him. "Yeah. We did have good times in this place, aside from that night we got abducted," she quipped.

On the outside she appeared very content, yet inside she was melancholy.

Jin chuckled. "True." He started to walk out the door, but paused when he realized she wasn't making a move to follow. "Aren't you coming?"

Gosh, Jin was making things so much harder. "Nah...I'm...gonna stay behind."

He rose an eyebrow, but after he thought it over, he remembered she had to get her belongings together. "Oh, OK. You're lucky you don't have to worry about packing a whole bunch of stuff."

Jin turned and left out the door. Monica stood at the entrance, watching him descend the steps. Kazuya was leaning against his limo, waiting.

"Is she coming along?" he asked Jin.

"No. She still has to get her bags packed up."

He opened the car door for Jin, letting him get in first. He peered up at Monica before he got in and saw her waving. She sure liked to joke around sometimes. Smirking, he held up a hand in farewell and closed the car door. After instructing Anikki to drive to the mansion, he thought about the girl. For some reason, something wasn't quite right...namely, her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Was there a problem? He couldn't answer that now. He'll have to ask her about it once they returned to pick her up.

Meanwhile, Monica leaned against the door frame for support, eyes glistening with building tears. She thought Kazuya would be at least a little more caring about her departure. A smirk...a wave...and he was gone. Here all this time, he only needed her in place of his precious Zaibatsu. Now that he got it, she was virtually useless.

Shaking her head in disbelief and hurt, she slammed the door closed, then headed upstairs to finish packing her suitcase. She had to get out of there [a/n: man did I have fun writing this part lol].

To Be Continued...!


	23. Unexpected Love: Last Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mix-up and leaving?

[DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tekken or any of its characters. I'm merely borrowing them for entertainment purposes, no money is gained!]

Kazuya's limo pulled up to Jin and Monica's former home and stopped. He started to get out the vehicle, when Jin put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He looked expectantly at his son.

"Dad, I'll go get her. Knowing her, she'll probably have to freshen up before she comes out for the day. She won't want you to see her again, if she's not ready."

Kazuya rolled his dark eyes. "She looked fine to me, however she may get a little fussy if I went in and saw her 'unfreshened.'"

He recalled the mornings in the hotel where she would pull the covers over her head in embarrassment, not wanting him to see her. Honestly, he thought she looked...cute with sleepy, red-rimmed eyes and bed head—or should he say—sex-mussed hair. They were too exhausted to get in the shower after they had their long nights in bed, so she didn't look her best. Though, he couldn't say she was unattractive by any means during those times.

Presently, Jin let out a chortle. "All right, we'll be right out...hopefully."

With those words, the young man stepped out the car, causing Anikki to feel foolish, holding the door open on Kazuya's side.

While the fighter trudged up the steps, he began pondering about the future of himself, his father and Monica living in the mansion together. It would be one happy...family? Wait...if his father and Monica got married...she would be his stepmother?

He rubbed his forehead at the idea and opened the door. No, he could not accept Monica, the girl he was still attracted to, being his stepmother. It would just be so odd. For his sake, he hoped they wouldn't tie the knot. Monica probably wouldn't be satisfied as a fiance the rest of her life though.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he trotted up the steps to the bedrooms.

"Hey, Monica. I hope you're ready to go now! Dad is waiting for ya!" he announced upon reaching the top of the steps.

She did not reply, so he decided to go to her room. On his way there, he briefly wondered whether he should sell the furniture to someone or simply leave it there as a gift for the next person that moved in. He knew his landlord wouldn't mind.

Once he made it to her door, his eyes came across a small note stuck on the surface. Furrowing his brow, he picked the paper off and read it:

Jin,

It's been fun in Tokyo. I'll never forget all that has happened! I wish you and Kazuya the best in your new mansion...obviously my leaving ain't affect him at all. Never change!

Love,

Monica

Jin blinked and gasped. The girl was on her way to the States! But...why? Didn't she know that his father loved her and wanted her to be with him at the mansion? No wonder she gave him that unexpected hug, stayed behind and waved at his father! She did not tell them outright that she was leaving...did she believe they already knew? Why didn't she let them know?

"Oh, man. I better tell dad about this! Monica might already be at the airport!" Jin thought aloud.

Moving with agility, he rushed down the steps, grabbed the last few boxes of his belongings and jogged out the house. He waited for the chauffeur to open the trunk before dumping his things and climbing into the car.

"Why did you shut the door, Jin? Monica is coming," Kazuya chided.

Jin shook his head, looking anxious. "No, dad. I got some bad news...Monica left for the airport!"

Kazuya scowled. "What? Jin, stop playing games!"

Deep down, he knew his son wouldn't play around like this.

"I'm not! Look, this is the note she wrote me!" Jin exclaimed, holding out the little piece of paper.

Quirking his eyebrows, Kazuya grabbed the note and read it. His expression grew from surprised to alarmed and anxious. He absently dropped the paper, staring ahead.

"...Monica," he breathed.

Now it all clicked together. Her refusal to come with them, the wave, the false smile... But what was the reason of her leaving? Did he do something wrong? Why didn't she tell him?

His mind scanned everything from the time he defeated his father to today. One episode stuck out in particular. The night he came back from the fight. After he had talked about moving into the mansion, she appeared...disappointed. Well, there wasn't time to think things over...he must get to the airport now.

\- - - -

Monica sat down into one of the waiting chairs and sighed. It was almost strange to be leaving Tokyo...yet she had no reason to stay anyway. She wasn't needed...wasn't loved. Her heart ached from the thought, but it was true. Right now, she needed a friend to lean on. Had Hwoarang still been in town, she'd call him up and ask him to wait with her at the airport. Unfortunately, he had left for Korea last week. He was a little sad to be leaving her and vice-versa, but since he went AWOL from the military, he had to return or risk being imprisoned. Monica had made sure that he still had her original cell number stored in his phone so that they could keep in touch. Regardless of being in a relationship, she and Hwoarang were good friends and it just did not sit right with either of them to end their friendship over that. Besides, it's not like they were going to be hanging out a lot, now that he was reinstated.

The Nubian woman snorted bitterly. She technically wasn't in a relationship anymore, but that's all right. As long as she had God, family and friends she would do fine. One thing was for sure though, she will be practicing sexual abstinence until she marries her next boyfriend (and he'll be a God-fearing man!).

She continued observing people hustling to catch their flights or meet with their acquainted persons that were coming in. Her eyes stopped on a pair of natives. The man was carrying some luggage and was probably leaving for a while. The woman looked sad to see him go. They exchanged words before the man bent and kissed her long and hard.

Monica frowned slightly then looked away. They reminded her of herself and Kazuya, only in reversed roles. She scoffed at the idea. Kazuya didn't give a d*** that she was returning home. He was sitting in his luxurious mansion, drinking expensive wine and being pampered by servants.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a female voice over the intercom in different languages. She listened intently for the English version.

"Flight 736A is now boarding... Los Angeles, California...Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. All passengers report to gate 9C!"

That was her cue. She stood, along with many other people, and headed toward the correct boarding area. She was halfway there when a man's voice called to her.

"Monica! Wait!"

Bewildered, she spun in the voice's direction. There was Jin, striding up to her, breathing hard as if he had been running a mile. Did he come all this way to see her off?! A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. At least somebody wanted to see her off...

"Jin! Wow, you came to see me off?"

For some reason, her former roommate didn't look happy, but...stern. A hint of betrayal was in his eyes.

"No, Monica...I didn't come to watch you go. I came to stop you."

Her eyebrows rose sharply in confusion and surprise. "But, Jin--"

"Listen. Why didn't you let us know you were leaving? Did you want to sneak off?"

Monica was even more confused. "Huh? Jin, what're you talkin' about? Both of y'all knew I was leaving! Kazuya wanted you to move in with him, not me. And he knew it was time for me to go back home! Not once did he try to change my mind!"

Realization dawned on Jin's visage and he took a step back. So, that's why. She did say her vacation was coming to an end a couple weeks ago. This was the last week of August. And now that he thought about it, his father never directly told Monica she was moving into the mansion with them. Neither did he refute her comment about vacation, he merely agreed with a smirk (thinking it was a joke). Not only was there miscommunication, there was a big misunderstanding.

Before he could speak, his parent came strutting up to them.

"Monica..." he began.

The American narrowed her brown-gold eyes. "Kazuya, what're you doin' here?! Shouldn't you be relaxing on your deck at the mansion?!" she spat.

The martial artist blinked at her sharp reply. Why was she angry? "...No! Why would you think that? Besides--"

The girl did not allow him to finish. "Why?! I'll tell ya why! You never offered me a place at the mansion, even though you knew it was about time for me to head back home! All you were worried about was Jin! That Zaibatsu pushed me completely out of the picture!"

She began to resume trotting to the gate, when Kazuya grabbed her forearm and turned her back around. He was met with an icy glower, but was unfazed.

"First of all, the Zaibatsu didn't push you out the picture. It can never take your place!" He took a breath. "Second, I had wanted you to move in with me all along. That is why Jin asked if you were coming. I believed you had figured I wanted you with me at the mansion. ...I only had to help Jin move since he had a lot more stuff to pack up."

Monica's hard gaze melted away. Perhaps she was wrong after all. Kazuya tilted her chin up gently, letting her see all his love he bore for her.

"You really thought I'd let you go?" He shook his head. "Monica, I could never disregard you. You're one in a million! A blessing from God. I would be the world's greatest fool to abandon you...whether I have the Zaibatsu or not!"

The girl let out a shaky sigh. Boy, she felt so much better, relieved and yet...silly. It had been a huge misunderstanding.

"Kazuya, I'm sorry for doubtin' you," she apologized lowly.

He pulled her close and said, "Then show me how sorry you are..." in his deep, commanding voice.

Monica smirked, although a blush stained her cheeks, before reaching up and kissing him with all her might. Kazuya welcomed the kiss and squeezed her against him, bending his head to deepen it.

Jin rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly as some passerby's gazed at the kissing couple. Well, at least his father and friend were back on good terms.

A couple moments later, Monica tore her mouth from her boyfriend's, who grunted in disappointment [a/n: oh my!]. His left eye was glowing crimson from both his and Devil's rapidly rising lust. They hadn't kissed like that (nor had sex) in over a week. The 2 had only spent a little time together, including Jin, by going out. Kazuya also had to go to meetings and get paperwork done on the legalities involving the Zaibatsu. His lip had not healed for awhile anyway.

"Why did you stop? The crowd?" he breathed, red orb fading to its former state.

"My plane! I-I gotta catch it!" she cried, pulling away from a reluctant Kazuya.

His eyebrows rose in shock. "Oro?! You're still leaving?"

"Yeah...Kazuya you gotta understand that I ain't see my family or friends in months. I'm sure they're wondering about me. Anyway...I can't just stay here and forget about them. I wanna spend time with them and let 'em know about us first."

Kazuya frowned slightly, but he understood her point. "...Fine. I suppose that makes sense."

"How long will you be gone?" Jin asked, strolling up to them.

Monica looked at him. "Probably about a month."

Both of the fighter's faces fell a bit.

"That's...a long time," Kazuya commented softly.

The demi-Native American smiled weakly. "Well, yeah. But my family ain't see me in 3 months. They're goin' to want to spend time with me after I tell them about me stayin' here, y'know. It might go faster than you expect beings that you'll be at the Zaibatsu office now." She glanced at the walkway leading to her flight. The line was very short. "Looks like I gotta get goin'. Bye, Kaz..."

She leaned up and kissed him quickly, even though he wanted more. Then she walked up to Jin and gave him a tight, brief hug, which he returned with equal strength.

"See ya, Jin."

"Sayonara, Monica..."

The girl gave them one last affectionate gaze and began to enter the walkway. Before long, she heard Kazuya say:

"Promise...promise you'll come back to me."

She halted and whirled around to face him. A big smirk was glued to his lips. He was doing the same thing she did when he stayed at the mansion to fight Heihachi. An unstoppable smile made its way to her face.

"...All right. I promise I'll come back."

With those words, she pivoted on her heels and strode through the walkway.

Kazuya glanced at Jin and smiled sadly. Jin returned the smile, placing a hand on his father's shoulder. He knew how he felt.

They meandered over to a nearby window after a moment to watch her plane take off. A couple minutes later, the aircraft began rolling away, its velocity sharply increasing, then it soon lifted off the ground into the blue sky.

Kazuya sighed and rested his forehead against the window pane, closing his dark eyes. That was it. The girl was gone. She was coming back in a month, yet he knew it was going to feel like an eternity. Already he was beginning to feel restless and incomplete.

Jin observed his parent. He never saw him like this. If that wasn't further proof of his love for Monica, he didn't know what was. His eyes drifted out the window into the sky, where the American's plane was just a silvery dot. Sheesh, he was going to miss her nearly as much as his father. The month was probably going to drag by.

His train of thought shifted to his mother. Now more than ever, he understood why his father claimed how similar Monica was to his mother. It was her spirit...that authenticity, stubbornness and coy yet tough nature that was so like his deceased parent. He couldn't believe how blind he was to it before. On top of that, she managed to bring him and his father together...something he knew his mother would have wanted.

'Kaasan...looks like you got what you always wanted...'

He rest his hand on Kazuya's broad back to get his attention. Once the older man lifted his head to acknowledge him, Jin spoke.

"C'mon, dad. Let's go home..."

Kazuya nodded somberly and started to follow his son away from the window. Suddenly, he heard his tenant speak up in his mind.

"She won't be coming back, I told you she would hurt you at some point. But, do not concern yourself over her. We can take our pain and ire out on..._others_ now," he hissed.

Kazuya sniffed indifferently. 'She will return to me. I know she will. So stop with the malicious suggestions.'

But the seed of doubt had already been planted.

End of Ch. 7!


	24. Unexpected Love: EPILOGUE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting the record straight and saving the world! ;)

[a/n: of course things have panned out differently with _my_ epilogue and the animosity isn't there, but the main point still stands...Kaz had been acting a fool in this chapter. also, now you know why I was switching back and forth with my OC's model. While this celebrity looks very similar to Monica in the face, their bodies don't quite match lol...but put her face with the other model's body and you got a good idea of what she looks like]

_2 Months Later..._

[On board JapanAir plane]

Somber, gold irises stared out the window at the floating clouds littering the expanse of sky. The woman sighed, her feelings a swirl of emotions ranging from sadness to excitement. She was finally heading back to Japan. Back to Jin and Kazuya.

Monica released a pent-up sigh to try to settle herself.

This could be an awkward arrival. She...had no way of contacting either of the men. Unfortunately, in her anger she had trashed the prepaid cell phone with their numbers stored inside, believing she would no longer need it. The girl did have a room reserved, however, until she was able to get a hold of one of the Mishimas.

The Nubian girl clutched her crucifix necklace with a hand, an action she sometimes did out of need of comfort...an indirect way of seeking Jesus for solace.

Did she really wish to face Kazuya though? She only saw footage in the news of large fires in Tokyo, within the business districts, but the name the reporter mentioned was unmistakable. Kazuya Mishima was the one responsible for these attacks. He had lashed out in his fury, grief and betrayed feelngs most likely, believing she lied to him and was not returning. She just knew that was the reasoning behind his actions. And the demon in him was surely egging him on to do so, no doubt planting more seeds of hurt and ire in his mind. The beast himself was probably affected by her absence also. She clearly remembered how possessive and lustful he was with her both times he confronted her. Even in the vision, he had behaved the same way.

Kazuya would probably be very bitter and angry once he saw her. He may not even want anything to do with her. This trip...just may be a waste of time and money. But, she had to try to talk some sense into him. People were being hurt or even killed by him. This all was happening because of her silly misunderstanding and consequent abandonment of her only line of communication with father and son. She was partially responsible, so by the grace of God, she would fix this! Even if...she had to be a sacrificial lamb, so to speak, she would do it. If the demon had tight control over the man she loved to the point that he got him enraged enough to act rashly and seriously injure her, then (she swallowed thickly in apprehension and resignation) so be it. Perhaps that would snap him out of his judgement-clouding wrath, seeing the love of his life vulnerable and hurt by his own hand.

The young woman shook her head in disbelief, feeling overwhelmed by this new burden. She was sure that Jin would be the more understanding of the two. In some ways, he was more dependable than Kazuya. He was such a kind, honorable, forgiving soul. The young fighter did not have such a damaged past as much as his father did. Although, it certainly wasn't easy dealing with the death of a parent or having his life nearly taken by his own grandfather.

Speaking of death...her maternal great grandmother crossed her mind. She had passed about a month ago, so Monica had been in no state of mind to return to Japan and leave her family/friends. Even though she didn't spend as much time with her great grandmother as her grandmom, the elder woman was still a steadfast figure in her life. Monica remembered staying over her house as a young girl many times, playing with the ponies and chickens. She had loved the farm with its many animals, endless grassy plains and tasks that needed to be carried out. Farm chores were probably the only ones she didn't mind doing. The Cheyenne reservation had a few animals as well, but nowhere near the variety or amount of her great grandparent's. Monica and her mother continued to visit their grandparent for several years, but soon enough the woman's age started to catch up to her and she could no longer maintain the farmland. The property was transferred over to one of her uncles, and her great grandmom was taken to a reputable Christian-based retirement home for assisted living. Visits grew less frequent after that point, yet the senior lady seemed to be adjusting well to her new living arrangement. Monica remembered hearing her grandparent complain about not having enough privacy and missing her farm, but for the most part she liked the retirement home and was in decent health. Alas, after a number of years, the woman was found dead one morning in bed. She had died of congestive heart failure.

The funeral was lovely and had an impressive turnout. The elderly woman was well-known and acquired many friends and business acquaintances with her mellow, friendly personality. But through it all, her grandmother and her siblings, along with a few of their children were a wreck. Monica herself found it difficult to stop crying for long during the service, yet she was able to see a silver lining; this was something the minister made sure to bring up himself. Her great grandmother was a stout woman of God, so there was no doubt in her mind that she was walking streets of gold with The Lord.

The following weeks were a blur of visiting relatives, her father moving back to the house, and spending time (again) with some close friends before she inevitably had to prepare to leave for Japan. It was also during this time that she began to hear news reports about Tokyo's plight. Her parents were very concerned about her returning to such a situation, naturally and even tried to get her to change her mind. After getting them to see reason, including that it was a possibility that things could spread worldwide if she never went back to Kazuya, they reluctantly agreed with her decision. The family (and a couple of Monica's friends, including Lisa) prayed together at the airport before she left and sent her off with tearful goodbye's and wistful wishes of happiness.

Another sigh heaved from the demi-Native American's lips. What a month it had been. And now, she had to return to Japan to deal with a dire situation...one that could very well risk her safety. This was certainly not what she expected to go back to. Her sobering musings were cut short by the pilot's voice over the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now preparing to land at Tokyo International Airport. We ask that you please remain seated at this time. Also, due to events occurring in the city, the government has issued a curfew between the hours of 9pm and 6am. If you have any late evening plans during this period, you should reschedule."

A few passengers began murmuring among each other about the announcement, but most people already knew of the attacks that had taken place. It accounted for the lower ridership to the country. Hearing the information had the 19 year old placing a hand on her forehead.

"Oh, Kazuya. Did you really have to go this far? Those people were innocents."

After collecting her belongings inside the airport, the amber-eyed female began to make her way to the doors for her ride to the hotel. Several drivers were standing around with signs of their customer's names. Shortly, Monica noticed one man that had her name, yet with him holding it over his face, she could not make eye contact to signal that she was his rider.

With an annoyed shake of the head, the brown-skinned woman strolled over with her suitcase.

"Hey, excuse me, sir. I'm Monica Hohanonivah."

The chauffeur lowered the sign from his visage to take a look at her. The American's eyes broadened in recognition and surprise.

"Mitsuketa yo! Welcome back!" came the jovial voice of one Lee Chaolan.

"L-Lee!? What...what are you doin' here?"

Putting on a pout as he adjusted his cap, the stunning silver-haired male replied, "I welcome you back and that's how you treat me? I thought you were a little nicer than that, Monica."

Aforementioned teen noted the shadow of scorn that briefly flashed through his eyes during the latter comment, but it was gone in an instant. Deciding to disregard it, she gave him a heart-felt hug anyway. He really did help her last time she was here...

"I'm...sorry for that. Glad to see you too, Lee! And I never got to properly thank you for your help savin' Kazuya and Jin that day. I appreciate what you done."

Lee was stiff when she first wrapped her limbs around his neck, but he soon softened and embraced her as well, lifting her off the ground for a moment in a bear hug; the curvy teen squeaked in response. Oh, women were so great to hug-especially ones nicely endowed like the dark-skinned woman in his arms. The scent of their tresses and the feel of their full breasts pressing into him was just glorious. God was so gracious to bless men with their counterparts. With so many beautiful females in the world, he had a hard time staying with only one.

Lee may not have liked the adolescent leaving Kazuya longer than she said she would (and in turn cause him to spiral into choler, betrayal, and desolation) however, she was generally a good person and must have a reason for her extreme tardiness. After all, only someone who loved Kazuya would still return, with all the crap he's been doing.

"No problem, my dear. I couldn't allow the old man to have his way," Lee said with a small smile as he noticed the red across her countenance and released her. "Come. I'm sure you have a few questions to ask and you've had a long flight."

The fighter took the suitcase for her before ushering her out the door to the clean, elegant-looking vehicle waiting for them. It was not Kazuya's limo, but it was still quite nice. After placing her luggage in the trunk, Lee opened the door to allow her to get in. She was met by a smirking Jin this time. Monica squealed with delight and flung her arms around him immediately, which he returned straight away.

"Jin! Oh, Lord! I was totally not expecting to see you in here! What a surprise!"

The son of Kazuya chuckled at her giddy reaction, rubbing her back with affection. "Well, here I am! You're a sight for sore eyes, Monica. I'm...relieved you were able to make it back."

The 2 parted just after an amused Lee shut the door to retreat to the driver seat. The long-haired girl studied him, seeing the tired-looking rings under his brown eyes. Poor Jin, she couldn't imagine all the pain he had to deal with from both his father and herself. Nonetheless, she was glad he didn't hate her for returning late and wrong.

Meanwhile, Jin was very relieved to see her again. She was their hope for saving the country and his parent. He also could not deny his heartstrings pulled at the sight of her. Old feelings began to well up inside him, but he kept them suppressed. Discovering her different hair texture, he automatically reached out and fingered several tightly-waved strands.

"Oh, you like it?" she questioned hopefully.

He nodded absently. "Yes, I do. It's pretty on you."

His former roommate blushed with flattery and smiled. "Thank you."

Her mom had cracked a joke about her twist outs making her look a little more African instead of 'mixed' earlier that day. Her dad had shook his head in mirth and mentioned there was nothing wrong with Monica looking 'mixed', she was the combo of both parents' lineage. Monica liked her 1C hair, she really did. It was thick, healthy, long and grew fast like most of her female Native relatives. But sometimes she was a bit bummed out that it didn't hold curls as well, or other styles, as her African friends.

The 2 broke out their reverie upon hearing the glass separating the front and back seats lower. They looked over to give Lee their attention, who was driving as he gazed at them merrily in the rear view.

"Now that you two got your greetings out the way, I think we better start our round of Q&A."

The American nodded, mood sobering a bit.

Continuing, Lee came straight out and asked what both the men had been thinking and lamenting over for the past month, "So, what held you up so long over in the States?"

Monica smiled apologetically, head lowering as she stared at the floor.

"Well...I was still plannin' on comin' back a month ago, like I meant to, but there was a death in the family. I had lost my great grandma. I wasn't as close to her as I was my grandmom, yet I visited her often in my childhood and early teen years and loved her just as much. She ended up passing away a couple days before my trip."

Her audience felt sympathetic and expressed their condolences, Jin placing a hand on her knee for comfort. After the pause in her story, the young woman sighed heavily then resumed.

"Then after the funeral, my family was pretty much reuniting and visiting each other since that hasn't been done with so many at once in a very long time. In a sense, my great grandmom's death brought everybody closer together. The family reunion lasted about another week! " The girl shook her head with a small smile, spirits beginning to lighten. "Of course after that, as you know, Jin, my parents was separated..." Here, he nodded an affirmative. "...my dad had heard what happened with my great grandma and made the decision to move back in with us! We was so shocked. Anyway, I couldn't leave again without spending time with my dad, so I decided to wait for him to move in earlier this month. I prayed about this for a long time, y'all. So, it was a big deal for me to have my parents back together. I had to tell him about my relationship with Kazuya and that we planned on living together here in Japan." Monica stopped to laugh. "He was floored that I was seein' a guy that was old enough to be my father, but after I explained how we got together, he accepted it...still didn't like it, but he understood and was glad that I would be "taken care of", as he put it. With all the news going on though, both my parents was kinda nervous about me returning here, so I had to let them know that the world could be dragged into this mess if I stayed away. I know in my heart that Kazuya wouldn't have done this if I had came back when I was suppose to. And...well, it also would've helped if I didn't lose my cool and throw out my prepaid cell I bought when I was last here. I had no idea what his cell number is since he usually called me and I only called him maybe twice."

The ebony-haired girl looked at them with a simper and shrugged helplessly.

"Now...here I am! There was a lot of family stuff that ended up happenin', so I apologize for my late arrival. But, things couldn't be helped. And now that that's out the way, how in the world did y'all know I was arriving today?"

Both males were silent for a moment as they were still absorbing her story. That certainly explained why they couldn't contact her via cell phone and they could not find it in themselves to blame her for staying home as long as she did. It was simply too bad that neither Kazuya, nor themselves, had any way of contacting her to know what was going on; it cost the city dearly.

Lee decided to answer her first.

"Well, Monica, the Mishima Zaibatsu has resources that are better than most other conglomerates. After your expected arrival date came and went with no sign of you, needless to say, my brother became restless and concerned...demanding, in my opinion. He ordered his employees to tap into the city's airport database to see if there was a flight that arrived from North Carolina recently at the time that had your name in its passenger list. Of course nothing came up. Kazuya remained hopeful for a short while, however that changed after another week or so went by and he gave up. Things went south once that happened."

He stopped at a traffic light then glanced back at her to check her expression briefly. She appeared slightly guilty, a frown pulling at her full lips. Beside her, Jin heaved a sigh and shook his head to give his uncle a hint not to delve into the details about his father just yet. Lee nodded and continued.

"...I'll let my nephew fill you in on Kazuya later. But anyhow, Jin didn't give up on you. He had a feeling that you would come back sooner or later. So, he and I discreetly continued monitoring the airport's system for your name. Even we began to get doubtful earlier this week and contemplated that maybe something had happened to you or you just refused to return. Lo and behold, one of our monitors reported that your flight was coming in today so we just had to make it to the airport and pick you up ourselves. We made sure to tell the few employees in the know to keep their mouths shut though, especially with Kazuya. We wanted you to pull the rug from under him and let him see the error of his ways. Besides, we didn't think he would willingly meet with you with how he is now."

Monica ran a hand over her hair. So, she was right all along. Kazuya didn't want to bother with her. Still, she had a feeling it wasn't totally his own decision...no doubt the demon inflamed his grudge against her.

'Ugh, that jerk. He's makin' this even harder than it needs to be!' she inwardly ranted. Her mind then remembered they were going somewhere, but she was not sure if they were taking her to her room or elsewhere.

"Hey, are you takin' me to my hotel?" questioned the American in mild confusion.

This time Jin answered her. "No. You're coming with us, Monica. Your reservations were canceled and the manager agreed to return your deposit on your card. And although the mansion is certainly big enough for you to stay in undetected for some time, we can't risk it. Dad may not notice you, but Devil could. He's...sensitive to Christians dad said."

His friend turned to him curiously. "Really? Guess that makes sense if the Bible is anything to go by. Then, where will I be stayin'?"

"You'll be at the Ritz-Carlton. It may be a bit fancy, but with all the foreigners staying there, you won't be as noticeable. Plus, we'll be having a small meeting there tomorrow with Lars and a few others about a plan of action in case you can't get through to my dad." The young Japanese frowned sadly, head lowering. "I don't want to think about it, but there's a chance he won't listen to reason, Monica. And in that case, drastic measures have to be considered. The people don't deserve this fear of dying, uncertain if they'll live through another bombing... My father has been through far too much and your perceived failure to return may have tipped him over the deep end."

"...Jin," whispered Monica breathlessly, unable to believe what her former roommate was hinting at. It hurt her heart to think about the possibility of Kazuya being seriously injured. This was quite a grave situation.

Trying to ease the heavy atmosphere emitting from the 2 friends, Lee cut in, "Monica, don't fret too much over it. There's still a chance my brother will come around after you explain your reason for not making it here sooner. I'm almost positive that deep down under all his pain and ire, he still holds love for you."

His words instilled some hope in his listeners and they regarded him with small smiles of gratitude.

\- - - -

Later, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel...

After the trio enjoyed a meal at one of the hotel's diners, Lee parted ways with them to go enjoy some of the activities the hotel provided, so they can catch up in privacy. Due to Jin being even more recognizable than Lee, they tried to keep a low-profile by having Jin wear his hoodie over his head. Lee, of course, kept his beanie on to hide his hair. The 2 friends immediately went up to Monica's room to talk.

Jin sat on her king-sized bed as the half-Native American strolled over to the window to gaze at the scenery. She always liked to sight-see, even when it was night. The mega city's towering buildings, with their colorful array of lights and animated billboards were impressive; the distant mountains in the background were also nice to look at. However, she couldn't shake the sight of a few demolished business centers uptown. It was a sobering view.

"So...how have things been while I was away with you 2? Besides the obvious," probed the brown-skinned female, her eyes noting how the nightlife was affected by the oncoming curfew. Less people and cars were out than the usual traffic she recalled seeing last time she was in the country.

The martial artist hummed thoughtfully, pushing his hood off his spiky hair.

"Things were good for the most part. I didn't like the extra attention and responsibilities that came with the Zaibatsu, but dad handled it like a pro...as expected. He allowed me to join him at a lot of meetings so I can get some training for when I have to stand in for him. There was also the paperwork, which was quite annoying," he answered, humor lining his tone. "And don't get me started on the politics. Some business people really like mind games."

His friend let out a sound between a sigh and a laugh. "Tell me about it! I'll never forget how things went when I went to one of Kazuya's meetings at the hotel. And, well, he was def on a different wavelength when it comes to business...more cold and calculating. But that's probably one of the reasons why nobody likes to mess with him."

Jin made a noise of agreement, turning on the television for background noise more than anything. "Right! So like I said, things were good for the most part until a month came and went after you left. My dad started getting irritable, restless and more withdrawn. Sometimes I would see him thinking about something-most likely, you-and he would have this painful expression on his face. Whenever I would try to encourage him or ask him to talk about how he was feeling, he usually downplayed things and acted like I was bothering him." The fighter paused to look at Monica, even though she was not facing him. "We used to actually hang out at times, but that's few and far between now. But anyway, not too long from that point, I believe that's when he started collaborating with Devil. His eyes aren't the same color anymore. He also stopped focusing on the good the Zaibatsu was doing, and began buying weapons of war...reactivating the war department and bombs."

This time, the previously quiet young woman gasped and gave Jin her undivided attention.

"He's...not doing anything good like donating to charities or feeding the poor? He told me he would do good with the Zaibatsu!"

The male adolescent sighed heavily. "The company is continuing with supplying food pantries, but that's about it. Everything else that was worthwhile has been discontinued in place of gearing up for country-wide warfare. ...Monica, you should've heard what dad said one day when I confronted him about his wrongs. He said that once Japan was subdued, he was going--"

Whatever Jin was about to say was rudely interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He appeared nervous and sent a meaningful glance her way, before digging the phone out his hoodie to talk. After a 5 minute conversation, he ended the call.

"Let me guess...Kazuya?" came the girl's cautious question.

He nodded with a forced smile. "He was actually wondering where me and uncle went off to. The both of us were so relieved and excited about your arrival, we totally forgot that dad wanted me to sit through another meeting with the Tekken Force. He also reminded me about their training session that will be happening in a few days...combat training."

Monica looked down pensively. "Wow, he really is prepping for war. This is so crazy."

The son of Jun got off the bed and strode over to her to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, try not to let it get to you, OK? I know things seem unfavorable right now, but you came back just in the nick of time. We originally were gonna have you visit dad tomorrow, after the meeting with Lars, but figured that you would probably need an extra day to mentally prepare yourself."

She sent him a grateful, small smile. "Thanks, that's certainly for the best."

Jin gave her shoulder a quick squeeze of reassurance before releasing her.

"No problem. So, you'll be able to confront him before things really start to get under way. His major moves won't be happening until next Wednesday. Either way, you or Plan B will put an end to this hectic situation..." The karate fighter heaved another sigh. "I really hope that we won't need Plan B."

His audience's eyes narrowed. "Well, what will happen?"

Jin crossed his arms, glancing away. "I don't know the exact details. That's why we're meeting up with a Tekken member and his followers. You'll be joining us, since we don't wanna keep you in the dark about it." His eyes found hers again. "Everybody will be meeting at 2 in conference room #5. I'll be by at 1:45 to take you there."

"All right, I'll be ready."

He turned around and started towards the door, yet stopped and turned his face slightly in her direction so that only the corner of his eye could be seen.

"Monica, in the event that Plan B has to be executed...I truly do hope that you'll stay here in Tokyo with us. My father wasn't the only one affected by your absence, y'know. You are very important to me also."

Aforementioned woman let out a quiet gasp. "Jin..."

He shook his head, though she couldn't make out his expression. "Ah, don't worry about it too much. Make sure you get some rest tonight and I'll see you tomorrow...dad's waiting on me."

"OK...goodnight."

"Later."

With that, he left out the room and closed the door behind him. The demi-African girl sat down on her bed absently toying with the tribal bracelet around her wrist that her father gave her, still thinking about Jin's words.

\- - - -

Following day...

Hearing a knock on her door, the brown-skinned woman got off her cozy chair to answer it. After a quick peek through the peephole, she recognized Jin with a hoodie covering his head again.

"Hey," she softly greeted once the door was open, feeling a bit edgy about the meeting.

The young man nodded and smiled faintly. There was still those rings under his eyes but they were less prominent now, thankfully.

"You ready to go?"

The girl bit her bottom lip in hesitation. "Well, yeah. As ready as I'll ever be. This just feels so...wrong plottin' against my own boyfriend, directly involved or not. But, I guess something needs to be done in case I can't reach him."

Jin looked down, sadness creeping into his deep eyes. "Believe me, I understand how you feel. This is very hard for me as well. However, we can't let him start this war. Too many lives-innocent lives-are at stake."

Monica could not deny that fact, and this gave her a little more confidence and acceptance about the situation. Still somewhat in disbelief, she could only nod in agreement.

Her friend placed a hand on her arm to bring her back to the present. "Well...let's get going."

The 2 traipsed down the hall together in relative silence. Each was still dwelling on the change in Kazuya compared to the last few months and that they may have to seriously hurt him in the near future to stop his destructive plan.

Soon Jin stopped at a door, in a quieter section of the hotel and knocked. The door was opened promptly by some middle-aged man in a uniform similar to the ones the Tekken soldiers wore, only more casual, as if for everyday wear. He recognized Jin immediately and bowed his head briefly in respect.

"Good afternoon, sir. Please, come in," greeted the unknown male.

"Thanks. The woman with me is Monica, my father's...significant other."

"Ah, I see," he replied, scanning the American critically with a hint of surprise.

Hearing her name, Monica smiled weakly at the new guy. He stepped aside to make room for them to get through the door. Once inside, their greeter shut the door for privacy. The 2 friends glanced around to see who was all present in the medium-sized room. There were 5 people present, including the doorman: Lee, Lars, Nina and the 2 soldiers.

"Monica, thank you for gracing us with your presence today. I know how tough this may be for you, my dear," Lee welcomed as he got out his seat to approach her.

Seeing another familiar face had the young woman relaxing a bit and she sent a genuine, bashful smile at the fair-haired man once he grasped her hands in his. A slightly concerned expression took place of his previous merry one as he stared into her eyes.

"You may not like what you hear, but we could not keep you ignorant to what we may have to do as our last resort..."

She looked down shortly then nodded. "I understand, Lee. Thanks for inviting me here, regardless."

He gave her a reassuring squeeze on her hands. "Great. Let me introduce you to the others that are here." The fighter turned and gestured to the man who opened the door. "This is Tougou, who is a lieutenant of the force."

The soldier gave a shallow bow.

"Next, is a 2nd member of the Tekkenshu, Zafina [a/n: she's not but I decided to use her as one since she's an ally of Lars in T6, things just got so complicated with all these new characters and plots the developers came up with! They even added some from different game series. Keep it simple, I say lol]."

The black-haired lady looked at Monica with a nod and polite smile. "Hello, Monica. I may not like what Kazuya is doing...but I truly hope you are able to stop him. I can sense that you are a very good person," she said with an unusual accent. "How one so clean can be around a man with a dark soul blows my mind."

The worry in the other woman's eyes was unexpected, Monica wasn't sure what to think.

Instead, she just replied, "He's...been through a lot at the hands of his dad ever since he was a young kid. Not to mention he has to deal with the consequences of makin' a deal with a demon for revenge at such a young age." She shook her head. "Sooner or later, I guess he was bound to break. My extended absence made him believe the worst and did the job, so I will definitely do what I can to make him stop this nonsense." The amber-eyed female took the chance to study everyone in the room. "If any of us went through all of what Kazuya did, I'm positive none of us would be right in the head."

The room grew silent as all considered her words. No one really knew of Kazuya's history that well, except Lee, who placed a hand on the girl's shoulder to steady her emotions.

"She's right," he agreed softly. "Kazuya certainly went through hell and back with our father's physical and emotional torture, his mother's murder, and perceived betrayal of his heart and trust. So, please keep this in mind and understand that this meeting is a backup plan and nothing more. Monica here is our best bet, and part of me knows she is key to putting an end to my brother's plan."

Zafina's eyes had lowered in contemplation of what she heard, softening just a bit about Kazuya. "Understood..."

Releasing a sigh, the attractive Chinese continued with introductions. "The blond woman there is Nina, who also was a member of the force." Here, the Caucasian woman gave Monica a mulling, curious look and a hum of acknowledgment. "...And last but not least is Lars, yet another of the force...for now."

Aforementioned soldier bowed to the foreigner. "Monica-san, nice to meet you."

The girl's mouth fell open in wonder as she stared at him, automatically slowly making her way over to the soldier. The attendees all looked on in bewilderment, wondering what was the reason of her stupor. Lars flushed faintly, glancing at Lee for an explanation; he received no such help from his adoptive half-brother besides a shrug.

"Ah...is everything OK?" the brunette questioned cautiously.

Monica's eyes remained fixed on his hair. "I-I'm sorry, but...can I touch your hair? It's unlike any I ever seen!"

"M-my hair?" Lars repeated stupidly.

Most others in the room began chuckling or snickering at him.

Lee, Tougou and Jin sat down at the table after the projection screen was brought down. Nobody was that eager to start just yet, though. The spectacle unfolding was too amusing to stop.

"Well, I guess that's one way of getting a cute girl's attention!" Lee joked with a huge smirk on his visage. "You need to loosen up around the ladies anyway, Lars."

His flustered sibling sent a glare in his direction, face growing more red. "And maybe you could stop being such a philanderer!"

Another round of tittering arose from those seated at his expression and response.

This time, Tougou spoke up, "Lars, just let the girl touch your hair. Don't be such a stiff!"

Looking betrayed, the soldier gawked at his superior. "Oh, fine." Turning to the young American, he told her reluctantly, "Go ahead..."

The caramel-skinned girl's spirits began to lift with the permission and with a grin, she happily reached up with a hand to run through his medium brown locks. It was surprisingly much softer than it looked. She expected it to be somewhat rigid from hair gel. The grin on her lips grew.

"This feels nice!" Monica exclaimed in Cheyenne. "I have to use both hands for this!"

Without waiting for a confirmation from the embarrassed hafu, the adolescent added her other hand on the opposite side of his head. More giggling continued at the scene. Now Lars was beginning to look overwhelmed, the blush spreading further over his face.

"M-Monica-san...!"

There was some teasing being tossed at the girl's victim, but he quickly stopped paying them much attention because in all actuality, her fingers running over his scalp and through his hair began to feel great. He did it himself once in a while, however it never felt as good. He soon found his eyes becoming half-lidded as the female prattled on about how amazing his hair was. Being a heterosexual male, he then found his attention drawn to her breasts since his face was lowered to give her reign over his hair. And to be honest, it's not like they were anywhere near small.

'Wow. They look so full. If only I could just...rest my head on them while she did this. Aaahh, I would probably fall asleep...' he mused dazedly, unaware he was starting to lean towards her.

A feminine giggle sounded in his ear, bringing him out of his trance-like state.

"Lars? Don't go to sleep standin' up! We got a meeting, remember?" came the soft voice of the American.

The soldier realized how close he came to her and sprang away from her caresses with a gasp of shock.

"S-s-sorry!" he sputtered in embarrassment, a little in disbelief at how much a head massage could relax him.

An eruption of laughs followed his stuttering, even the aloof Nina finally joining in on the laughter.

"You OK there, buddy?" teased Lee.

The poor man grumbled and turned away from him. "Oh, just leave me alone and start the meeting, will you?"

"Fine, fine. Sheesh, so uptight..."

The illegitimate son of Heihachi ran a hand down his face as he internally berated himself for his lapse of control. Just think if he actually laid his head on her bosom! She would probably be mortified and think he was some huge pervert! He was a soldier, he was not supposed to forget his military discipline.

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his self-scolding. He turned to see Kazuya's girlfriend standing there with a bright smile.

"Hey, Lars...I just wanted to thank you for lettin' me do that. It really...made my day a lot better," she informed him in a quiet voice so the others wouldn't hear. "And uh, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Lars blinked. "Monica-san... Um, no it's not a problem. I appreciate the massage, really. And you are welcome."

The young woman perked up even more at his words, then nodded before leaving him be. Lars sent her a small, thoughtful smile as she left his side. Jin quickly informed her where her seat was-which was separate from the table since there was no more room. Once she and Lars found their respective seats, the meeting began. [a/n: I really hope I got Lars' character down for the most part, I read that he's similar to Jin in many aspects. But there's also some sort of light comedy relief centered around him, especially with his game ending. I think he may be a nice, serious person, that is sometimes teased about his rigid nature. But despite this serious nature of his, I believe he is very approachable. Jin seems to be quieter, and more emo or angsty than his half-uncle.

\- - - -

An hour later...

Monica found herself looking out the window of the meeting room, further away from the others, as they concluded the meeting. She heard them speaking among each other, but words were not processing. This was worse than what she, Lee and Jin originally expected.

Their backup plan... She shook her head in dismay. Should Kazuya not heed her words and decide to continue on with his war...they were going to use some space military weapon that was the legacy of Dr. Abel, thanks to Heihachi informing Tougou about it. Of course he would try to help any opposition to his son, that old geezer! And to backup that option, they would send Jin in to fight him-possibly to death. They decided that if nothing else, only one with the devil gene could take out one as strong as Kazuya.

Both Jin and Monica were shocked and did not wholly agree with him possibly killing his own father--or vice versa. It was bad enough that Dr. Abel's super weapon was going to be implemented to take out Kazuya, but using Jin was just too much. Although Lee was stupefied and did not like hearing the information, he grudgingly accepted it as he couldn't let his brother execute more war.

After some arguing back and forth between the 3, Jin reluctantly conceded to his uncle. Monica had got out her seat in ire and strolled over to the window, needing time to process things. Her former roommate had followed her and offered words of comfort, giving her a brief hug.

"Monica, please. This...this is simply a backup plan. It most likely will not come to pass, OK? I...I believe in you," he had whispered painfully, his hold tightening on her before he released her.

She had stared up at him, eyes wet with building tears. The young woman had nodded silently, her smile watery.

"Thanks, Jin. I will try my best," she had replied, melancholy echoing in her words.

Presently, she was approached by the blond Nina. After feeling her tap on her shoulder, Monica whirled around to give her attention. The smaller woman studied her countenance shortly, although her own expression remained cool.

"Listen, Monica. Kazuya may be your boyfriend and all, but we have to do what needs to be done. He will not stop at anything to finish this war." She then crossed her arms. "If you want to save him and Jin's lives, then I suggest you pull yourself together and be ready to talk sense into that man tomorrow. Otherwise...you won't get the opportunity again."

At first, the half Native American was somewhat offended at her cold words, and frowned in response. But then she thought about what she said and realized the truth in her words, blunt and uncaring as they were. She had to stop wallowing in grief and uncertainty. Kazuya's (and Jin's) life was in her hands now. Steeling her resolve, the teenager blinked away the residual tears in her eyes and stared determinedly into Nina's blue irises.

"You're right. And I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind while I'm at it."

Seeing the change in the American's demeanor satisfied the aloof assassin. This young girl was a little timid and emotional, but she could tell she had some backbone underneath it all. She supposed this whole package is what Kazuya liked about the dark-skinned woman other than her looks. Shy, genuine (the teen had to be for her to return to all the bull****. No mere gold digger will deal with this.) but strong-willed: this was also similar to how Jin's mother was. Jun was apparently the standard that a man like Kazuya was drawn to. No wonder he never really paid much mind to herself or her sister, Anna.

Anyhow, women were much stronger than men emotionally and were able to endure hardships better. All Monica needed was the right kickstart. If only Anna was like this American, instead of the cheap, attention-seeking floozy she was, Nina would get along with her just fine. But that was a story for a different day.

The Irish woman nodded her approval, giving her a little smirk, and departed from the room. Lee was already making his way over to the 2 just before the flaxen-haired beau retreated. He sent a curious, but reproachful look at her back, then smiled apologetically at the sober Monica.

"Hey. Uh, sorry about her if she said anything offensive. That's just how Nina is, unfortunately," he explained sheepishly. "It's also why I never really got along with her when we used to fool around; the lady is simply too cold and has something against men. Pity, really."

"Ah, it's cool. I'm not somebody that gets riled up easily," replied Monica, appreciative of the silver-haired guy's concern. "Besides, what she told me was what I needed to hear to shake off these uncertain feelings I got. I think I'll be just fine tomorrow."

The player observed her and nodded with a grin. "Excellent. You're a strong woman, my dear."

Jin soon joined them, followed by Lars as the other 2 Tekken members filed out the room with their presentation equipment.

"Monica, is everything all right?" asked the younger male.

"Yeah, thanks for askin'. I...understand what we gotta do. Tomorrow and otherwise."

"Great to hear, Monica-san. We will head over the Zaibatsu around lunch time then," Lars chimed in, seemingly relieved at her response. "There will be less employees and the like in the building, and therefore you'll be less of a spectacle. I will give you your VIP visitor pass when we meet back up, so you can navigate the place without too much hassle." He paused to reach into his briefcase to pull out a thin tablet, then handed it to her once he turned it on. "Here. This has the map of the Mishima Zaibatsu. You may want to study it a bit so you can have an idea of where to find the command center tomorrow."

The demi-African female took it out his hand, eyes scrutinizing the map layout curiously. The conglomerate looked complex and large. She couldn't wait to see it, her young mind inquisitive about the place Kazuya worked so hard to obtain.

"Well, lady and gentlemen...this it for now," Lars continued with a quick bow of goodbye. His eyes landed on the American again, a small amount of concern hinting in them. "Monica-san, do be sure to get enough rest. You have a big day tomorrow."

She nodded gravely. "Yeah, I plan on it. Thank you, Lars, for all your help."

With another bow of the head, the soldier swept out the room.

Lee clasped his hands together with a flourish. "OK, now that things have been set, we can all get out of here and mentally prepare for tomorrow."

After the 2 young adults acknowledged his sentence, the middle-aged fighter turned to the female adolescent and placed a hand on her arm.

"Look, if you need more time...you can let us know now and we'll reschedule, OK?"

Monica shook her head vigorously, ponytail swinging with the motion. "No, no. I rather get this over with ASAP. I don't wanna lose my resolve by procrastinatin'. Besides, Kazuya just might be less willing to listen to reason the closer we get to the action date."

The men agreed. Right after, they all walked to the North Carolina native's room. After further words of encouragement, Jin and Lee left her to her devices. Monica closed her door with a heavy sigh. Today was her last day of relaxation before she had to confront Kazuya. Nervous as she was, she still was determined to put a stop to his plans. She had to or else things will get nasty. She preferred to save the 2 relatives from fighting to the death. There was enough of that she had to deal with after last month...not to mention the poor rival businesses that her boyfriend had attacked.

Turning off the screen of the tablet for now, Monica knelt at the bedside and began to pray.

Next Day...

[a/n: I couldn't find a good pic of the building during daylight so...]

Lee allowed Monica to slide into the car then shut door before going to the driver side. She was greeted by Jin and Lars (who sat up front with Lee) inside. The atmosphere in the vehicle was somewhat tense and somber. No one really talked much after the girl was briefed on what was to occur when they got to the Mishima Zaibatsu, during which the Tekken soldier handed Monica her VIP pass. She clipped it onto the collar of her colorfully designed burnout tee, drawing her former roommate's attention.

"Well," Jin began with a simper-forced as it was, "Things may not be that light-hearted today, but at least you're wearing upbeat colors."

The brown-skinned woman glanced down at her attire and grinned. "I figured I should dress...happy today. It won't do no good to go in the Zaibatsu with a depressed mood."

"True..."

Another 15 minutes passed before Lee announced they were at the famous Mishima Zaibatsu. Lee turned to her to speak.

"Monica, this is it. Just go ahead inside. Stay calm. The pass will keep you from looking suspicious, and may even confirm for some employees that you're indeed Kazuya's woman...your lovely caramel skin is a big help."

The female blushed lightly at the compliment and nodded.

Lars added, "You'll have to go through the security check point, but since you don't have a pocketbook or anything like that, it'll be easy. Don't forget the tablet I gave you, so you won't get lost."

Nearly forgetting about the device laying next to her hip on the seat, she quickly grabbed it. "Right! Thanks for the reminder!"

Finally, Jin captured her free hand and gave it a comforting squeeze as he smiled warmly. "Monica, good luck and Godspeed-as you Americans and English say. Remember...if things don't work out, tell him to call my cell number and use the garage exit #4. We'll be there waiting to pick you up, if need be."

"Thank you, Jin...everybody. Hopefully next time I see you, things will be fine."

They all nodded and sent more encouragement her way as she got out the car. Once out, she stood looking up at the grand building with fascination. It was so huge! A fleeting thought crossed her mind that it would take the elevator 10 minutes to get to where Kazuya's command center was.

'OK, let's not stand here too long. I got a mission to carry out after all,' Monica thought to herself, previous excitement ebbing away to make room for nervousness.

There were a few natives and a foreigner, exiting and entering the building as she climbed the concrete stairs to the entrance. For the most part, they paid her little mind. Apparently, the Zaibatsu was no stranger to non-native visitors or employees. That was a small comfort.

When inside, a security guard greeted her, scanning her outfit with a weak smile. Ah well, it wasn't her plan to dress the part of a business person anyway.

Once the person in front of her was cleared, the guard motioned her to walk through the weapon detector and asked her to place the tablet onto the conveyor belt to be scanned. Afterwards, another officer requested her pass. She handed it over with a polite smile, and the Asian woman swiped it through the ID slot. Seeing her information pop up on the computer monitor, the petite lady's eyes widened slightly. She peered up at the American teenager with interest.

"Oh...Monica-san. Nice to have you with us today. Mishima-san should be in at this time, he doesn't usually go out to lunch until after 1," she welcomed her. "Ano, did you need an escort or want me to call Mishima-san down?"

The younger woman shook her head. "No, I'll be fine gettin' to the command center. Thank you, though."

"I see. Well, in that case, hope you have a pleasant visit," the female guard continued, returning the card with a grin.

Monica nodded and clipped the pass back to her shirt. The other Zaibatsu officer gave her the tablet Lars let her borrow, bowing his head.

The black-haired teen then quickly spotted the elevators across the lobby and strolled over to them. She hit the ascending arrow, opening the 2nd door to her left. Scanning the lobby over as she sauntered to the vacant elevator, she couldn't help but notice how clean, spacious and upscale it looked. Very nice office building, as it should be. It is the largest financial empire in Japan anyway.

Following pushing the top floor button to get to the center, Monica allowed her mind to wander. At first, she was pondering on what her boyfriend's reaction would be when he saw her again. Would he be indifferent? Enraged? Shocked? At the moment, she wasn't sure. From what she heard, he wasn't the same man she fell in love with. But what could she do when her great grandmom had passed away? Just leave anyway? Certainly not! She had stayed over the woman's house numerous times, enjoyed helping her with the farm chores and listening to stories she told her...she even remembered her first camping trip being with her great grandmother. Besides, the girl had been very affected by the loss of one of her most important childhood figures. No way was she going to leave her mother behind while she was grieving and return to Japan a blubbering mess.

Her musings were cut short, feeling the elevator slow to a halt. The doors opened to let in another passenger. It was a bespectacled male, near her height, wearing a button up and fitted slacks. He paused upon noticing her and her bright colored clothing. Still, he sent a brief smile and pressed the floor button he needed. His eyes caught the illuminated top floor button and he cautiously turned to her.

"Miss...did you mean to go to the top floor? That's where..." his voice trailed off once he realized she was a VIP visitor. "Uh, never mind. Sorry."

Deciding to overlook his assumption from looking at her attire, she replied, "Oh, don't worry about it. Understandable."

He smiled sheepishly and remained quiet the rest of the trip, then exited the elevator with a bow of farewell. Once he left, Monica checked the map on the tablet to see what hall she would have to go down to get to Kazuya. Satisfied, her mind ventured on what the man did during her absence. It was too extreme to take his anger and pain out on rival businesses...then on top of that, he had stopped doing most of the good he was doing for the country to direct his energy and resources on war planning!

The elevator finally made it to the designated floor and opened its doors for its passenger with a ding.

The half-Native American walked out the doors, a frown now marring her lips. This was ludicrous. He had specifically told her he would use the conglomerate for honorable purposes! Then she has to see this nonsense on the news...see it with her own eyes now that she's in Japan! This has got to stop!

Any previous jitters had disappeared and the young woman was ready to face Kazuya. Her displeasure with his actions fueled her confidence and with agitated steps, she marched towards the hallway she needed.

'Jun would be super disappointed in you, Kazuya...' Monica inwardly sneered. 'She helped you suppress that demon and you throw her efforts back in her face by lettin' him push you!'

The grandeur of the top floor was mostly lost on her with her mind so irritated and set on finding her boyfriend. [a/n: if this was an anime, I would time the music so that at the 2:35 mark, Monica would see the men] Once she turned the corner to the correct hall, a small group of men was spotted up ahead having a conversation. Her footsteps slowed for a moment, checking to see if any of them was Kazuya. Even though a few weren't facing her direction, she could tell just by looking at their hairstyles that he was not among them.

Quickly losing interest, she glanced down at her tablet, pace picking back up as she neared their location. Yes, she was nearly there now. He was going to hear it. Her ears vaguely picked up on a couple of the males yelling after her, along with a gasp, however she paid them no heed. They were not her concern right now.

"Excuse me, miss!"

"O-oi! Matte!"

Surprisingly, none made a move to stop her.

A few minutes later, she noticed the door on her left had a small window, and there were blinds covering the windows along the wall near the door. This had to be the command room. Monica discovered a scanner just to the right of the entrance and deduced she had to use her pass for access. Immediately she held her card up so that the device could scan the bar code. In a couple seconds, the scanner beeped with a flashing green LED and the door slid open [a/n: and this is where the music would fade to its end... :)].

The dark-skinned female walked into the military-like room, glancing around at all the high-tech computer monitors and the news broadcasted on the TV's. There were several Tekken members and regular employees inside as well, her entrance gaining their attention right away. Even the soldiers with their gear on didn't phase her much.

"I need to speak with Kazuya," she stated without fear, walking farther into the room towards the group.

"How did she get in?!"

"Who is she?"

"What's going on here?"

One older man, along with the majority of the Tekken troops, stepped forward to prevent her from coming any further.

"Who...are you?" the employee questioned with a furrowed brow. "And how did you get a VIP pass?"

His accent was similar in intensity as the butler that Kazuya employed. Monica put her hands on her hips, tablet still in tow.

"I'm Monica. Tell that to your boss, he'll recognize my name."

The guy frowned in puzzlement but a few others gasped and glanced at each other.

"You I do not know. I suggest for you to leave, Monica-san," he waved her off. "Mishima-sama does not like unwelcome visitor here."

Suddenly, one of the men spoke up in Japanese to the lead man, getting his attention. The 2 got into a brief disagreement before the old male held his hand up to silence the other. The silenced employee appeared frustrated and shook his head at the stubborn supervisor.

"Please leave, American. Or the security will make you leave."

One of the Tekken soldiers glanced at the senior as if hesitant to put the young woman out.

Monica scowled. "Look, I'm tellin' you I know Kazuya personally. Just go tell him I'm here, I'm sure he won't mind givin' me a audience. Or at the very least, y'all could try to talk him out of this war for me." 'What a pain in the butt this dude is!'

While she was arguing with the head employee, her eyes vaguely noted how some of the others seemed to focus slightly off her. Curious, she stopped talking and took a glimpse behind her. No one was standing in the open doorway. Weird.

"Fine, you do what you want. We are going," the old guy grumbled in annoyance.

The others followed his lead and started filing out of the command room, leaving their stations. Monica stared after them in bewilderment, scratching her head.

"So it's like that? Y'all just gonna leave me here now? That's kinda rude, don't you think?" she shot at them.

After getting no response besides a cursory glance from the last employee leaving, she looked up at the ceiling imploringly as if God would send her some sign of what was going on.

"Hm, whatever," she muttered to herself as she set her tablet down on the tech-based table. "I'm ain't leavin' until he gets here..."

The girl ran a hand through her thick strands with a huff before going to check out one of the many computer monitors. Some of them even had 3D imagery. It was pretty cool to look at, but this stuff was all for the preparation of the impending war.

All of a sudden her ears picked up on the beep of the door as it slid shut far behind her. Smirking, Monica spun around to sarcastically welcome the supervisor back. The words died on her lips in a gasp instead.

"K-Kazuya?!" she stuttered in shock.

He was leaning against the wall next to the entrance, arms crossed in a relaxed posture. As if he hadn't been waiting for her to return 2 months or if her return wasn't a big deal. His dark eyes were closed, preventing her from making any eye contact. He sported a dark grey, tailored business suit with a royal blue paisley tie.

"Oh? What's this?" he began languidly in that rough, deep voice she liked to hear even now. "Look who finally decided to grace me with her presence. You honor me..." Kazuya turned his face towards her as he opened his eyes, the sunlight shining on his visage from the room's outside facing windows. "Monica."

She blinked in mild surprise at the mismatched color of his irises. One was gleaming a bright red, as if Kazuya was really pissed or... She shook her head of that thought, then noticed his hair. It was different! No longer was it slicked back like Jin's. Now, it was cropped with short spikes, a stylish fade decorating the sides of his head. The girl was reluctant to admit, since she was supposed to be angry at him, yet he looked even younger and...stylishly militant were the words she would use to describe him. It certainly added to his good looks.

[a/n: for a visual, the blonde guy combines his hair style with the brunette's fade (the fade is a lil more clean though, closer to the scalp towards the back). Kazuya's new look is so nice lol]

She paused, discovering that his clothes and hair looked vaguely familiar. Wait a minute...he was in the hall talking with that group of men! With that new do, she didn't recognize him and had walked right on by! No wonder none of the men tried stopping her, Kazuya must've told them not to.

"Why did you leave me for so long, onna? I was told a month...not 2," the martial artist growled in bitter displeasure, pushing off the wall.

He then turned his head leisurely in the direction of the windows, both his eyes flashing crimson and the motorized vertical blinds hummed as they slowly closed. The sun was blocked from one side of the room, dimming the brightness. It cast a bit of shadow over half of Kazuya's face, making his glowing eye stand out more. The look made Monica pause in mild consternation before she shook it off, realizing she had to explain herself if she wanted to diffuse the tension in the room. The atmosphere was oppressive. She did not like it. He was actually glaring at her like an opponent. She could certainly understand how easy it is for him to intimidate people. Some of her bravado faded away at the image he made.

Heaving a sigh, the girl replied, "Kazuya...I apologize for the long wait. You must understand I never intended for that to happen." She looked down sadly. "There was a death in the family. My great grandmom had passed right around the time I was supposed to come back here. So, of course I wasn't in the right state of mind to come here."

Kazuya's eyes widened in surprise, his anger lessening significantly. A stab of guilt went through his gut at the information. 'All this time, I was acting out and she had a legitimate excuse for returning late... Yet, how was I supposed to know? I had no way of contacting her!'

_"That may be, however another month is too long for grieving don't you think?" _Devil countered in the CEO's mind, secretly relieved to see the girl but irritated at her delayed arrival. Besides, she was most likely going to try to spoil his fun demolishing the humans' businesses and later, the federal government._ "At the very least, she saved us the trouble of retrieving her later."_

Mentally agreeing, the KOIF locked eyes again with his girlfriend. "I am...sorry for your loss. But, was taking a whole month off truly necessary?"

Sensing the lift in the air from its intensity, Monica was able to relax and was grateful for the less hostile tone in the Japanese's voice. She smiled slightly.

"Well, I would've been back sooner, but with the huge family reunion that occurred for a week after the funeral, followed by my dad comin' back home..." she shrugged helplessly. "I had to stay longer. You know my parents had been separated for awhile and I ain't seen my dad for months. That would've been kinda cruel to just leave without spending time with him...again. Especially when I won't be back there for a long time."

Her reply appeased the both of them, the beast rumbling in approval hearing her confirmation that she was staying with them. Kazuya nodded his acknowledgment at her words.

"I see... What about not hearing from you all this time? I had no idea of what was going on over there."

She rubbed her head sheepishly. "Um, yeah... My bad. Back when we had the misunderstanding before I left, I was so angry at you that I ended up throwin' the prepaid phone in the trash." The girl shook her head at her past actions. "Beings that I hardly ever called you, I forgot your number, so I couldn't contact you."

Kazuya's eyebrows rose with incredulity. "What a mess this has been... At the very least, I'm glad you weren't purposefully avoiding me."

He then allowed his eyes to take her in more thoroughly, from her lush tresses to her fancy sneakers. She reminded him of a toned down, American version of a Harajuku girl with that colorful outfit she was wearing: semi-see through camouflage/striped shirt, jean skirt and purple mesh cutout leggings. And, did she put on a bit more weight? She wore it well enough. Her body was still tight, shapely, but with enhanced curves. Most that knew her probably wouldn't notice it, but he certainly did...those breasts of hers probably went up a size, not to mention her hips looked a little fuller. Maybe that family reunion put on some pounds.

While out in the hallway with his advisors, Devil had sensed her before she passed by. Kazuya simply believed it to be some random Christian that worked for the company, and was only half interested in who it could be. However, once she had briskly walked by, not sparing anyone a glance he couldn't help but recognize her mocha skin and lengthy red-black hair. A gasp had escaped his lips [a/n: yup that was Kazuya that gasped back then!] as he watched her continue down the hall towards the command room, her attention focused on a tablet in her hand.

Noticing one of his employees begin to follow her, he had quickly threw his arm out in front of him with a stern gaze.

"Leave her be," he had commanded in a low, firm voice. "Go take your lunch breaks and do not return to the command room without my confirmation..."

They were all confused, but obeyed without much protest. He was not going to explain his reasons, and his business was none of theirs. Once they had departed, Kazuya had stared down the hall where the girl disappeared to in disbelief. She had come back. They never thought she would return to Japan and were planning on finding and taking her from The States after things were in control here. With her uncommon surname it would be easy to track her down. The young woman was his and he did not enjoy being made a fool for giving up his fragile heart to a female that wasn't going to remain true to her word. But now that she was here, it had brought some solace to him and removed nearly all of his negative thinking towards her. She still had some explaining to do though.

When he had strolled to the open door of the command room, Monica was busy arguing with Honda, his corporal. Her back was facing him, thankfully, so she hadn't noticed him standing there. Making eye contact with some of the employees, he nodded his head to the left to indicate he wished for them to leave the room. Noticing the teen had stopped talking all of a sudden, he immediately ducked to the side of the entrance to avoid detection. No doubt she had discovered their attention drifting off her to the doorway. As the corporal passed him by afterwards, Kazuya had whispered for him to take a lunch break as well and not to return to the room until given permission. Being the obedient old soldier that he is, Honda relented with a bow of the head and had retreated.

Ah, yes that reminded him of part of the reason he was here in this room.

Monica's brow furrowed slightly as she heard the other set of motorized blinds begin closing after the fighter glanced casually over at them. The lighting in the room became dimmer. A small part of her felt like she was slowly being cornered for some strange reason, yet she brushed it aside. Now that her explanation was over with, it was time for him to listen to reason.

The American took a few steps closer to him, her demeanor shifting to business.

"Kazuya," she began with a firm voice. "You know what you done is not cool at all, right? Those people were innocent! They had nothin' to do with us!"

He frowned in response. "Hmph. They aren't mere citizens, Monica. They are my business rivals. The denizens of the population are none of my concern. Those corporations are trying to bring my company down and I won't stand for it. No doubt at least one of them was buddy-buddy with my sneaky father and decided to make a move against me in retaliation." A hand was waved carelessly. "Those fools were dealt with and won't be bothering me again, if they have any sense."

His girlfriend observed him stroll a bit closer to her location as he shed his suit jacket and set it over on the high tech table in the middle of the room. The powerful lines of his shoulders came into view, along with the rest of his amazing anatomy, momentarily distracting her. That body combined with his countenance and haircut was devastating! He really did appear younger and more attractive than usual. Indeed she was a blessed girl to have caught his eye. Her inner high school fangirl came to the forefront for a short time.

'He's so hot!' she squealed in her mind while she scrutinized him, carefully keeping her expression under control. 'And the swagger just amplifies it!'

He then loosened his tie unhurriedly, gazing at her.

"Anyone that dares to challenge me will be met with crushing force."

"But, what about all the good you was doin' with the company, Kazuya? Didn't we talk about how you didn't wanna be like your dad and wanted to do some good for the country?"

The Mishima paused thoughtfully. "...Yes. We most certainly did talk about that." He crossed his arms with a nod. "OK, I will resume the charity activities and the planning for construction of the homeless shelters next week."

Monica's eyes lit up and she grinned. Things were going better than she thought they would. This was great. Looks like they wouldn't have to resort to Plan B! Thank God...

The scarred male watched her expression and it nearly made him smile as well.

"There's still the matter of stoppin' anymore plans for country-wide war, Kazuya. You gotta stop them, now. You don't need to drag anymore people into this!"

He looked down for a moment before locking eyes with her again. The KOIF took off his tie slowly then she noted how his eyes changed. He stared at her with an intensity she hadn't seen before. It made her feel so feminine and vulnerable. There was even a shadow of obsession in his eyes.

Her own orbs couldn't help but scan his form in appreciation with all the virility he was exuding. Before she was able to get away, Kazuya swooped upon her, slamming a hand next to her head on the wall.

"I may do as you ask...but only if you lose your mind to me," he practically purred possessively.

At first, his words (and even the pleasant, tastefully prominent cologne he wore) made her blush and her heart rate speed up in arousal. But then she thought about how he seemed to belittle the country's welfare, and frowned in disapproval and anger. And it was just too risky and scandalous to have sex in the command room! What kind of woman did he think she was, even after all this time?!

"...I can't believe this. I done heard it all now, Kazuya! I'm out of here!" she spat.

The girl ducked under his arm swiftly, heading for the door. As the martial artist observed her marching away, an image of her leaving him at the airport superimposed itself over her. He started to panic a bit before he calmed himself. Then, now facing the wall, he unhurriedly raised his hand out in her direction.

'She isn't going anywhere!'

"No! From the moment you stepped in**to this room, you were ours, onna!"**

Stunned, the brown-skinned adolescent was unwillingly lifted into the air by Devil's psychokinesis and brought back to him, where he pushed her against the wall again.

**"You **_**will **_**lose** your mind to me!" Kazuya reiterated with a snarl, his right eye returning to brown. "You don't know how much I've missed you...your body...the noises you make when I'm in there."

Outraged, yet flushing once more, Monica struggled in his hold. Her hand itched with the intention of giving him a good backhand slap! Her thoughts and fighting were cut short when the hand pushing her against the wall shifted to one of her breasts and the light crackling of electricity was heard above the news still going on in the background. Her mouth dropped open to take in a sharp inhale of air at the sensation.

'No he...didn't!'

Giving her no recovery time, Kazuya captured her lips in a passionate, mesmerizing kiss. He kissed her thoroughly and poured all his need into the motion of his lips and tongue, not caring that she was too shocked to respond back at first. As he did so, his previously motionless hand started to caress her bosom. As expected, the twins have indeed gained some size. There was more area that his hand could not cover.

Very soon, Monica herself could not quite hold back from responding to the kissing. He was a great kisser and was always able to make her breathlessly dazed. A low hum of satisfaction sounded from her throat, her hands absently making their way to his broad, muscled shoulders.

Once he was content with how she was beginning to accept his affections, the Zaibatsu owner disengaged the kiss to run his somewhat long tongue up the pulse point of her neck to her ear, pleased when the stupefied woman automatically tipped her head back to give him access. Once he reached her ear, Kazuya nibbled on the lobe sensually, making sure to sigh into her ear canal. As expected, his victim shuddered with a soft grunt of enjoyment. He then directed his sights set on the sexy leggings the American wore. As much as he liked them, they were in the way...so were those sneakers (he really needed to up his sneaker collection [a/n: he's a sneaker collector, go figure!]). Straight away, he let Devil take over to remove both nuisances.

Still a bit foggy, the Nubian female blinked after feeling her sneakers come off simultaneously. Following that, her leggings and underwear were being pulled down of their own accord. With a start, she came to her senses, watching them slide smoothly down her legs to the floor.

"W-what the?!" Her eyes found Kazuya's, only to find them both red once more as he openly leered at her toned legs. Fortunately for her, it was still Kazuya's body, not Devil's or else she wouldn't have the courage to get angry. Getting indignant at how she was lured into their trap, the young woman resumed struggling, sneer on her full lips. "How dare you take advantage of me like that! You pervert! Let me out of this room, now!"

Devil stepped back to avoid a backhand in the face, slightly surprised but amused. Such spirit! He liked it; she gave them a challenge. Kazuya regained control of his body, smug smirk growing. The woman was going to give in, she just didn't know it yet. Skillfully moving back against her voluptuous body to keep her pinned to the wall, his hands seized her wrists to stop her swinging arms.

Monica's molten gold irises gazed furiously into his visage. "I said let me out, Kazuya."

The man scoffed. "I won't repeat myself. But since you're still reluctant, I know what I must do to make you more complacent. You won't want to leave this room, or me afterwards."

Before the teenager could retaliate with a cutting remark, she felt his hands release her wrists, only for his arms to go under her legs and begin to lift her up the wall until she had no choice but to sit them over his shoulders. A tad embarrassed and feeling exposed with her crotch at eye level with him, Monica turned beet red. He was really going to do that in here?! What if somebody walked in?!

His eyes brazenly locked onto her neatly groomed privates, becoming hooded with increasing desire. She didn't know how much he wanted to do this to her, how long he waited for this alone (screwing her brains out was even more sought after). Besides, now that he tasted her mouth and her skin, it was only proper to get to the most important part. His pink tongue slid over his top lip sensually in anticipation. He was going to eat her up over and over, mainly once he was able to escape from the Zaibatsu for the rest of the day. Regrettably, they would not be able to get much time alone at the moment.

"K-Kazuya, cut thi--!"

The highly aroused man did not give her a chance to finish.

"Itadekimasu."

[a/n: * laughs nervously * Bare with me, I tried not to make it too graphic]

Hands holding firmly onto her thighs, his tongue went to work in between her legs. She let out a squeak of shock and pleasure, then attempted to push his face away from her. Her efforts only rewarded her with increased sensations. A whimper involuntarily escaped her throat and her boyfriend hummed with contentment into her core. She felt her body melting from his attention and soon her pushes ceased as she leaned her head back against the wall in bliss, lids fluttering shut for a couple moments.

Her closed eyes opened halfway to look down at him. Seeing such a haughty, good-looking, wealthy and powerful-one of the most powerful in Japan-man enjoying doing something sordid to her, really had an impact on her. It fed her excitement and the things he was doing with his mouth felt even more lovely. He must've noticed the increase in her arousal because he made a noise of want and switched to thrusting his tongue as deep as it could go, pulling her closer to his mouth.

The half African woman released another gasp before curling her torso over his head as her hands found themselves buried in his short locks. Once her semi-thick legs started shaking from the sensual stimulation, her boyfriend decided it was time to move her over to the tech table, where his suit jacket lay open in wait. He let her slide down his body just until her pelvis was lined with his abs and quickly strode away from the wall to where the jacket laid on the table.

Thinking ahead, the fighter switched over to Devil, turning off the table's power. He then telekinetically powered on the vents and even opened the windows that were covered by the blinds. Never before had Kazuya appreciated his other side's prowess this much. It was a very convenient thing to be a powerful psychokinetic. Taking back control before the beast got any ideas, the Mishima briefly studied the American beneath him. She was slightly out of it, yet mildly curious about all the electrical changes and opened windows. He wasn't through with her by a long shot.

Hiking her skirt back up, along with her legs, his lips found her womanhood in enthusiasm. He could pay attention to her down there all afternoon. She tasted nice and was sensitive to his mouth. After hearing her small moans, he got an idea. He chose to do something he didn't normally do and desisted in pleasuring her temporarily to grasp her hands and guide them down to her crotch. She tensed in resistance, probably thinking he wanted her to touch herself; the timid woman disliked that and called it a sin she could do without. However, he didn't want her to do that. Instead, the tall Japanese used her fingers to splay open her outer petals.

"Simply hold them there for me," he murmured huskily, watching her cheeks grow more red.

His lust filled orbs shifted down to her womanhood, the sight turning him on even more now that her hands were keeping it displayed to his gaze. Without further preamble, the scarred male eagerly kept her legs bent back and sealed his mouth over her defenseless privates and suckled.

"A-aaahh! Kazuya!" came her wanton cry.

The sound drove his enthusiasm and like a mad man he increased the intensity of his attention. Just having the feel of her core in his mouth always aroused him for some reason. Perhaps because it was the essence of her femininity or he only found her very sexy and wanted to do something to drive her wild. Maybe it was both aspects. Mentally shrugging, he pin-pointed his mouth directly over the bundle of nerves of her womanhood. This soon brought out some undulation from her hips and another exclamation from her lips.

_"It...feels so good!"_

That was what he loved to hear while they were intimate. It meant she was beginning to lose herself in the throes of passion. Similarly, he would also find himself reverting to his native language once things got really good. Her virgin-esque body always brought him satisfaction.

It wasn't long before he felt her body trembling through his hands and his ears picked up on her whimpers. What he didn't like was her then trying to run from his attentive mouth. He wanted her to come while he was down there; he always did.

Monica was starting to feel the buildup of a big orgasm-which was similar to feeling like she had to pee in her opinion-and it scared her a little. Besides, she really did not want to embarrass herself (or anger him) by accidentally urinating over his face! So, she decided to try to get away from his talented lips to stop him.

"St-stop it! I feel like I'm gonna..."

As she scooted back, she looked up at him while he stood up, noticing how his orbs now held that dark, obsessive appearance in them. Fortunately, he was gazing at her body, not her face. She would not be able to maintain eye contact if he was! Licking his lips, he quickly grabbed hold of her supple legs and dragged her back to him.

"Get back here, woman! I'm not finished with you," Kazuya ordered with a possessive growl, left eye flaring brighter. "I want you to come, don't play with me."

The slightly intimidated (yet further excited) girl was held back down as her boyfriend resumed suckling at her button, this time adding tongue as well. Immediately, her body responded and she whined with pleasure. The pressure quickly escalated until Monica could only helplessly let her vagina release the tension. She gave a loud, drawn out moan, her body locked up in an expected huge orgasm. Vaguely, she felt the man move his mouth further down to her entrance as her womanhood continued to contract. He hummed in content, slurping faintly permeating the room. Thankfully with all the background noises, the embarrassing sounds were harder to hear.

Finally, the American sagged back against the table's surface, panting. That was amazing! Kazuya was amazing. She nearly forgot how much of a sex god he was. And that more than 2 month sex hiatus certainly made her even more susceptible to sensual stimulation. Her body was so languid now, she wouldn't mind lying there for another 15 minutes or taking a short nap.

She was brought out of her reverie upon feeling the moist swipes of a tongue against her inner thighs. Now that she was more aware of what was going on, she was mildly mortified that the Japanese ate her out in the command room...where anybody could walk in at any time. Blushing lightly, Monica threw an arm over her face and groaned. This guy sure got her to do things she normally would not do. His charisma was through the roof.

They...they had to stop this. Who knows how long their luck would hold?

"Who knew that you could come like a guy, Bishoujo?" came the martial artist's deep, amused voice. "There was so much, I could barely clean you up! Oishī..."

The teenager removed her arm, observing him swiftly unbutton his dress shirt and toss it nearby on the table. Wasting no time, he moved on to his slacks. His heated eyes locked with her widening ones, before he smirked and slowly pulled down the pants. His 5th appendage came into view and Monica's mouth went dry at the sight, while her traitorous body became excited all over again.

"N-no...we can't do this here, Kazuya!" his girlfriend protested weakly, beginning to sit up.

Next thing she knew, he was looming over her, hands grabbing her jean skirt and tugging it off.

"We can and we will," he negated with a frown. "No one is coming in here until I give the OK. It's lunch time anyway." His heterochromatic orbs scanned her hourglass figure without shame and he groaned with desire, running his hand down his face. Did she not realize how drop dead sexy she was to him!? "I want you so bad, Monica. And I'm going to make you scream my name again and again!"

The obsessed gleam in his eye returned while he held her legs apart, staring down at her weeping sex.

"Wait--!"

But he wouldn't hear anything else she had to say. He plunged himself into her, cutting off her complaints and making her hiss in ecstasy. For the first time since the young woman below him left, Kazuya felt complete being inside her depths.

"You're perfect," he groaned out in Japanese, squeezing a shirt-covered breast.

She fit him like a hot, slick too small glove. In fact, it seemed like she was as tight as she was the first time they had sex a few months ago.

Unable to stay still for long, Kazuya pulled out slowly only to thrust back in with some force. The feel of her intimate muscles trying to suck him back inside as he pulled out and then draw him deeper when he was pushing in, was exquisite. His mind absently thought about how tight she was, giving him a slight pause. As alluring as she was, this teen was faithful to him even during the 2 month absence. Personally, he had once considered letting his personal guard, Anna give him head, believing Monica wasn't going to return, in order to release all the pent-up sexual frustration. Anna Williams was the closest person he had to a friend, besides Monica. She was his bodyguard last time he was in possession of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Although she would sometimes flirt with him during her employment (her and Lee had a physical relationship at the time), Kazuya was far too interested in Jun to pay her any mind. Disappointed, Anna had realized she had no chance at getting in good with her wealthy boss, so she made no more serious attempts to sleep with him. The 2 were able to meet up again last month and he decided to re-employ her. It was a few weeks in, when the business day was coming to a close, that Anna came to him with a sexual proposition. She made a comment about him looking stressed and angry and wanted to make him "forget about that little girl". Kazuya frowned at her choice of words about his girlfriend, but his hormones were beginning to rise with the thought of finding temporary release. His lack of refusal encouraged the brunette, but after she started kneeling down to unzip his pants, he shoved her away as if she was diseased. The woman was sent falling onto her rump in offended shock. They had a heated spat before the Zaibatsu owner decided to get rid of her and find a replacement. She was a pushy female and tended to hit on him often; no way would he keep someone like that around while he was in a relationship with Monica...regardless of the American's prolonged absence. But he was certain that Monica did not even contemplate being unfaithful. Such a good Christian girl. He admired and appreciated that quality in her. Then his brain mused over someone else enjoying such a treasure if they were to break up, making a frown appear on his sinful lips. He was not going to let that happen in the future.

Still keeping up his easy pace, he stared down at her flushed, blissful visage.

"Monica," he breathed gruffly. "Look at me."

Her champagne irises fluttered open blearily.

"I'm not letting you go. Ever," he declared with conviction.

A bit surprised, the exotic Nubian was about to question him, yet he picked up the strength of his movements. The poor girl could only let out some moaning after that, followed by Kazuya's own grunts of satisfaction. After some time, the muscular man straightened up and put both her legs in a hug of sorts, then hammered into her eager body. The move caused her moaning to go up a couple octaves before transforming to cries of euphoria. He inwardly smirked with male pride at both the change in the noises and the increased lubrication her canal produced.

Opening his dark eyes, he allowed himself to scan the beauty on the table. Sweat was beginning to bead on her face, hair splayed out like a halo over her head, heavy breasts bouncing in time with his thrusts. He observed her turn her face to the side (eyes closed tightly) and bite down on her knuckle to muffle her cries. The man was a little displeased by that, but he decided not to stop her. Her constricting shirt had to get out of the way of those boobs though. So, reluctantly letting her legs splay open to get to her shirt, he pushed the article of clothing up her breasts. He was further annoyed when his eyes caught sight of a bra blocking his view. This was one of those times Monica's modesty was not appreciated. No matter, he'll take care of this obstacle easily. He gripped a cup in each hand then ripped the thing cleanly in two.

The sudden jostling made the dark-skinned female open her eyes to see what happened. She was dismayed to see that he had indeed destroyed her bra with his bare hands. Before the girl could reprimand him, the martial artist squeezed her breasts together and pulled both nipples into his warm mouth. The feeling made her back arch, shoving the globes further against him.

"Oh, Kazuya!" she breathed lustfully, placing a hand on the back of his head. "Please...don't stop!"

Once she bent her legs back until her ankles were near her head, Kazuya nearly lost himself and with an unconscious growl (thanks to Devil) into her chest, he started plowing into her depths with vigor. His energy started stirring and danced around his form, some of it skirting along her skin. Monica was on cloud nine at that point and could not keep herself from making noises.

If an eavesdropper was present outside the door they would faintly hear the rhythmic 'Ah's!', the occasional call of the CEO's name, and even the groans or grunts of said CEO. Wisely, no one came up to the last floor to disturb them. Nobody was stupid enough to risk their employer's wrath.

After several minutes, the American came a second time, screaming Kazuya's name once more. Letting her breasts go, he ground her own name out himself between bared teeth, holding back from joining her. It was tough with her vagina spazzing like that. Most likely he would've been able to go another round, but he didn't want things to get too messy at the moment. Controlling himself, the man straightened before flipping his prey around so that she was now on her belly and feet touching the floor. He quickly buried himself back inside her up to the hilt with a long hiss.

Lowering his lips to her ear, he told her, voice tight with restraint, "Now I know why people say something is like heaven on Earth. I used to think they were exaggerating. However, I found it myself...and it's between your legs."

The woman flushed a bit at the compliment, unknown to him. Kazuya then spread her legs farther apart, setting a rough, rapid pace. She had him so worked up, he had no intention of starting slow this time. In a few moments, he had her yelling in her tribe's language and pushing back against him as best she could.

His hand reached to firmly pull her thick, silky tresses before leaning back down to her ear to growl, "Tell me you're mine! Let me hear you say it!"

Monica's eyes flew open temporarily in surprise and a bit of sheepishness.

Gathering her wits, feeling absolutely wonderful at the moment, she panted out, "I-I'm...yours!"

The comment definitely satisfied both Kazuya and the beast within, a surge of dominance and sexual excitement rising in him.

"Mmm, I love hearing that from you..."

The male released her hair, praising both her and her womanhood in Japanese, ere putting more strength into his strokes to get her off further. He lasciviously watched her full, round backside vibrate each time it collided with his pelvis before smirking and giving it a few slaps. Her squeaks that followed each smack were delightful. While he still thought small, shapely derrieres were attractive, they didn't have the visual stimulation that a sizable, voluptuous one did...not by a long shot.

Soon, his energy was going haywire again and he was approaching his peak. By then, his thrusts were reduced to powerful grinding against her dripping core and his name was a mantra spilling from her lips. When he couldn't hold it any longer, Kazuya gave a fierce upward thrust into her g-spot as he held her hips, prompting her to lift up off the table and lean back against him. As he emptied himself in her in rapture, his teeth clamped down onto her shoulder and he quieted his shout of completion into her flesh. The girl gave a wail of pure euphoria , her walls constricting almost painfully around him.

Nearly crumpling to the floor from his weakening knees, the karate fighter caught himself with a hand on the tech-based table. D*** this girl had the best! He loved that last sound the demi-Native American emitted. She must've really enjoyed herself and the idea made him puff his chest out a little. He wanted...he had to make her feel good like that again.

Lying the dazed, limp female carefully onto her back over the now lightly sweaty suit jacket, he told her to wait a moment. Unable to do much else, she nodded weakly, staring up at the ceiling through lidded eyes. Less than a minute later, Kazuya was back and started gently wiping down his girlfriend's privates with a paper towel. The friction made her want to close her legs somewhat since her petals were a bit sensitized. Once he was satisfied, the scarred fighter brought his mouth back to her, placing a leg over his broad shoulder. She gasped, attempting to escape his tongue, but he wasn't having it.

"Kazuya," she managed to breathe out. "I...I don't think I can do it again."

He briefly lifted his head to reply, "You can. I need you to dance on my tongue again, sweetness."

Suddenly, he brought her off the table at a nearly perpendicular angle. Not wishing to cause her discomfort, he instead laved his tongue steadily over her button, no matter how much he desired to suck on her. After hearing her give a quiet moan from his ministrations, he summoned his energy to his hand again. Not giving her any time to react, he shoved 2 fingers into her. She automatically jerked her hips at the sensation with a sharp inhalation of air.

"Aaahh! Unbelievable!" she exclaimed breathlessly in Cheyenne. "S-Stop that, you're going to..!"

Not able to continue due to him curling his fingers inside and energy still flaring over them, Monica called his name pleadingly. She felt herself getting very moist and aroused quickly. It wasn't fair for him to be this great!

Kazuya kept up rubbing over her sweet spot and licking her bundle of nerves like a cat lapped at milk. It didn't take long before he had the girl chanting "Yes!", her hips gyrating uncontrollably against his hand. When he increased the energy output inside her, her womanhood began contracting over his fingers. Monica could not stop her orgasmic screaming then as she came multiple times back to back. She got so loud, it actually started bothering her boyfriend's ears.

Figuring she had enough, the smug male cut off his energy and removed his fingers to clean her up. She sure made a mess on herself and his hand...not that he was complaining. After getting whatever of her essence he could, he let her slide down until her behind rested on the table once more. He observed her countenance with a small amount of concern. Maybe he overwhelmed her with all the stimulation. The long-haired girl's eyes were slowly closing, a glassy look over them. Yet, a small smile played on her lips.

"Ka...zuya," she sighed softly just as her eyes totally shut [a/n: this is the perfect time to insert little hearts floating around her head if this was an anime lol! Anyhoo, hope the scene wasn't too much and that you liked it. ;) ].

The young woman lost consciousness. He never made her do that before.

Heaving a sigh at the afterglow he was feeling after such intense sex, Kazuya gratefully allowed the outside Autumn winds and air from the vents to sweep over his sweaty body and stripped his damp wifebeater. When he was cooled off sufficiently, his eyes scanned the area around them to see if any damage control was needed. Nothing was messed up thankfully, but he better grab some more paper towels after he transferred the unaware Monica off the table...

The dark-haired karate fighter (fully dressed, albeit disheveled) strolled down the hall to a lone entrance with his precious bundle held in his strong arms. This was the area off-limits to anyone but himself, Jin and housekeeping; it was the small living quarters. He held his hand on the print scanner, the door sliding open after confirming it was him. He then traipsed through the sitting room to the bedroom, and lied the caramel-skinned female onto the queen sized mattress.

The man paused to admire her, still a little in disbelief that she was finally back with him. He wasn't fibbing about missing her. She had haunted his mind everyday. Jin had helped with his encouragement and quiet, compassionate demeanor that he inherited from his mother, but without Monica there...he had been unable to find much peace. He had felt betrayed, deserted and idiotic. Kazuya did not give his heart away carelessly; he had been hurt so much from his own parent-someone who was closest to him. Unfortunately, he had allowed Devil to influence him and when enemies dared to rise against his conglomerate he had wasted no time in retaliating with devastation to release some of his pain and fury. It wasn't enough, however, and encouraged by the beast within, the ambitious male had set his sights on the country's government itself...

Forcing himself out of his mulling, he headed to the bathroom and ran the shower. He quickly cleaned his mouth out with a rinse to freshen up. Making sure the temperature of the shower was hot, but comfortable, he went to retrieve the out cold girl. Once the both of them were naked, he woke her up so they could clean up in the shower.

Monica was barely coherent as she sat on the smooth bench provided in the shower. The warm steam and Kazuya's gentle ministrations on her person were very relaxing. He cleaned her from head to toe. She was aware when he kissed her then used his mouth on her chest and between her legs (was he actually growling?) once they were rinsed free of soap. Everything felt so nice, it was like a misty dream. Once he finished her off again, she quickly drifted back into the realm between sleep and unconsciousness. It was too soon for her to endure 2 more orgasms after the bombardment she received in the command room.

The fighter indeed had used his mouth on her once again after rinsing the soap off her body. With her sitting there in a stupor looking so vulnerable, enticing and nude, he could not help himself. Originally, the scarred man only intended to stay between her legs for about a few minutes. But since he still longed for her so much and was addicted to her reactions and taste, he became immersed in her. All of his awareness was focused on the oblivious woman in front of him, hardly registering the hot water pelting his back as he kneeled on the shower floor. Devil was there under the surface, barely restrained, as Kazuya pleasured her with gusto for another 20 minutes. The dark-skinned girl's mewling, gratified cries and twisting hips as she kept his face down there had only spurred them on. After seeing her go limp, the Zaibatsu owner grudgingly removed his mouth, and studied her again. Entranced, his hand traced her nubile body up from her firm calves to cradle her face. He just could not get enough of this young American, eager lips descending upon the carotid artery of her neck to give her a hickey. He was rewarded with a small moan of contentment, although she was still out like a light. When he was finished leaving the mark, he unwillingly extracted himself from her to rinse her breasts and privates off again (detachable shower heads were awesome) before finally washing up.

Stepping into the cooler air of the bedroom, his girlfriend held in his arms once again, Kazuya kept a towel around her head to dry off the mass of wet hair. He rubbed lotion over her soft skin before clothing her in a fresh yukata and tabi. Unfortunately, he was not sure what size underwear she wore or else he would've had them stocked in the dresser. Once she was taken care of, he dressed himself in one of his spare business suits. As much as he would love to take the rest of the day off and stay with her, he now had a billion-dollar company to run. In reward for his help in his (and Jin's) escape from his demented father's clutches, Lee was given the spot on the board of directors at G Corporation, so that was one less company to worry about.

Swiping his new cell phone off the bureau, Kazuya noticed a few sms message notifications on his screen. They were all from his employees. Most were asking if it was OK to return or if the American was causing trouble. Another was wondering if the war planning would still commence-that one was a bit more intuitive than the rest and the employee undoubtedly recognized who Monica was. Deciding to put them on hold for now, he called his administrative assistant to tell him to contact housekeeping for the command room right away with vague details about the tech table and the floor, and then inform Honda to return to the room in another 30 minutes. Before finishing up the call, the Mishima also told the assistant to put any visitors on hold that may want to see him until told otherwise.

After that was all done, Kazuya rummaged in the refrigerator for something to eat for himself and Monica. Since he usually either brought food that was prepared from home or went out to eat, there wasn't a lot in there. But luckily today, he had a bento that would be plenty for 2 people. He could normally eat all of it with his healthy metabolism, but the girl needed better sustenance than fruit or yogurt. He had put her through a mini-marathon after all, and no doubt he would both devour her and crush again later that night when he got home. He'll try to be more gentle, yet she wasn't getting out of bed unless he was sated. Those 2 months really made him crave her.

Heat beginning to pool in his groin, Kazuya shook off the imagery of her squirming under him in coital bliss as he enjoyed her. He grabbed the box and set it on the table, along with chopsticks and 2 cups of fruit juice.

The tall Japanese returned to the bedroom and shook his partner awake. She grudgingly did so and stretched languidly like a feline; Kazuya enjoyed the view shamelessly. When the towel on her head began to unravel, her eyes perked up at the unexpected feeling and she instinctively clutched it to stop it from falling off. Several strands of damp hair fell against her neck, cool water trickling over the skin. It impelled her to shiver a bit, further shaking off her groggy state.

While she fussed with the towel to secure it, Kazuya asked, "How are you feeling?"

The North Carolina native blushed faintly and ascertained how her body felt. Kazuya was a skilled beast when it came to sex (in both ways), however, he never made her feel that amazing before! As he wished, she certainly lost her mind a couple times in that room. There was minimal soreness down below, but other than that, she felt pretty good. Her form felt a mild buzzing sensation just beneath her skin like she had energy waiting to brim to the surface. Perhaps it was all because of the scarred male's use of energy during their activities. She would have to pay him back occasionally by trying out oral sex since he was so thorough when doing it to her. Although, honestly, the idea of swallowing so much semen did not appeal to her. She'll certainly stop short of that. Her mind couldn't wrap around how her boyfriend was so...hooked on her essence.

"Um," her voice sounded a little rough, probably from screaming so much earlier. "I feel fine, actually. Thanks."

He nodded with a smile before lending her a hand to help her stand up. Monica noted how his eyes seemed softer now, similar to how they were before she left for America. Also, that crimson color of his left eye had vanished.

"There is food waiting for us in the kitchen I'm sure you would like to eat. Unfortunately, I cannot stay here with you too long. My employees will be waiting for me to return to the command center. Perhaps I can call Jin and ask him to come take you to the mansion in another hour."

"Oh...yeah. And I understand. You are in charge of the Mishima Zaibatsu now."

With a sigh, he cupped her face with one hand and leaned in to give her a chaste kiss.

"Yes, owner and CEO to be precise. I would've enjoyed it more if you had been here with me, Bishoujo."

Her eyes lowered. "Yeah, I know. I wish things ain't go down the way they did. But...life happens."

Kazuya could not argue with that one. Knowing they were on borrowed time, the CEO led her into the kitchen and sat her down to eat. In his haste, he had forgotten to grab a plate for her, but he was sure she could manage. After they gave thanks for the food, the 2 began to eat. The girl didn't realize how hungry she was until after the first couple bites of food. Soon her slow pace picked up, mouth savoring the flavor of her meal.

They ate in silence, but she could see out her peripheral that the martial artist kept looking at her as he consumed the food. Monica stopped her eating to look him in the eye. He seemed somewhat remorseful.

"What's up?"

Kazuya swallowed his food before answering, "Monica...I just wanted to sincerely apologize for doubting you this time around. I tried to keep hope alive, I really did. But with how my heart is...it's very difficult for me to trust people and expect the best." He looked down. "In addition, I am sorry for going off the way I did with my opponents and plotting on going on a warpath with the government. I'm sure you are very disappointed. So, please accept my apology."

He gave a shallow bow to her.

Monica's eyes broadened at his words and the bow of apology. He rarely apologized like that and it showed how much he regretted disappointing her (maybe not so much about attacking his rivals or the plotting, but it was a start). She smiled sweetly and placed a gentle hand over his larger one. After he gave her his undivided attention, she spoke.

"Kaz'...I know you had a really tough life. I can never quite understand what you been through. But, I know you're tryin' to better yourself. If I had been in your shoes, I'm sure I would start thinkin' you wouldn't come back for me either. And...of course I accept your apology." Her eyes then attempted to see past his own to the beast that was either dormant or watching her as well. "Besides, I know that guy wasn't makin' things any easier for you. I bet he was eggin' you on, that jerk." 'One day, I'm gonna convince Kazuya to come with me to see TB Joshua about him!'

Kazuya chuckled briefly then relaxed at her words. "Thank you, Bishoujo. I certainly will get back on the right path with the Zaibatsu. There may be a lot of bad I did in the past, but I do not plan on doing anymore of it in the future."

His hand held onto hers to give it a squeeze and she returned the gesture. The couple then finished up eating and chugged down their drinks.

Before the martial artist got up from the table, the teen said, "I love the hair by the way. You look even younger like that. What made you change your hair though?"

He almost seemed bashful, but it was gone in an instant. "Well, it was mainly a surprise for you when you got back. I got tired of being mistaken for Jin and vice-versa anyhow. So...I decided to change things a bit. It also represents me leaving my past behind." He shrugged. "When you didn't show for another month, I figured I would keep it regardless since it was starting to grow on me." His hand brushed over the cropped spikes. "I'm glad you like it."

Monica nodded her approval and they both stood to clear the table. Before he left to meet back up with his subordinates, she smoothed her hands over his expensive new suit, paying particular attention to the broad shoulders beneath it (she really loved how his powerful shoulders and chest tapered into such a small waist; his physique was gorgeous) her mind recalled what he had said to her in the command room.

"So, Kazuya...I remember you sayin' something about not lettin' me go. What's that about?"

The man's eyebrows rose. "Ah, yes. I meant what I said, Sekushī. I will not be breaking things off with you, ever. You're mine and I don't want anybody else to have you," he possessively declared and placed his hands on her hips, a dark look entering his orbs. Even now, he would love to have his way with her again for a quickie before returning to the command room, but he tamped his hormones back down. The girl needed to recuperate.

While he indeed loved the young woman, her absence affected him deeply. Not only did she unintentionally fracture his delicate mind, but she brought out this...obsession. He never felt like this before she left. Had she not returned once he brought the country to heel, he had planned on searching for her in North Carolina and forcing her return anyway, relatives and friends be damned! Fortunately, that did not come to pass and his dark feelings were kept to a minimum since she returned on her own. God knows how much his obsession of her could spiral out of control if she never came back to him...

Emerging from those negative thoughts, he thought about her becoming more than his girlfriend. She just may become his wife one day. Eyes scanning her from her caramel face to her tabi-covered feet, he believed she would make a fine matriarch of the Mishima mansion. She was wholesome, caring, faithful, beautiful and likable, yet willing to put someone in their place should they step out of line. The public may initially be putout by her not being Japanese, but he was sure they would warm up to her. He didn't care for kids with his special case, since he did not want to burden anyone else with the devil gene. And hopefully, she would not desire any children either. Also, she needed her own personal guard soon. Perhaps Karasu (who was just a few years older than her) would be an ideal candidate. He wasn't much for talking, he was no pushover and he took his duties seriously. The man also is a black ops assassin of the Tekken force. Despite his bloody background, he retained his manners and was respectful and loyal. The teen would be treated well and be effectively protected.

Presently Monica's amber irises lit up in happiness and flattery, unaware of how his strong love for her had become tainted. And he would ensure she would never know...

[a/n: yes, it's the end! although happy, fluffy endings are nice...they're overrated in my opinion. I like it to be bittersweet and more realistic like this. I think most of my stories had happy endings though. Although Kaz refrained from war & is considering marrying Monica, he developed an obsession for her from her prolonged absence (and perceived betrayal). She really hurt him and that pain from someone else he loved was enough to mess his mind up. I mean, think about it...he went through hell dealing with his mom's murder, his father trying to kill him and subsequent years of abuse, dealing with Devil trying to control him, his only benevolent relative being imprisoned and starved to death-by his father, and then the 2nd girl he gave his heart to supposedly leaves him hanging without any communication. I really think Kaz has a fragile mind from all the crap he dealt with, so it would make sense that he would be a little "throwed off" after Monica did that-unintentional or not. Now, I give him props for managing to keep it together as well as he did, but...a man like that needs a lot of TLC to keep him sane. But don't worry he won't harm her, just be really possessive and a bit paranoid when he doesn't know where she's at. Lastly, apologies if Monica seemed too...desirable. I understand that even though someone is very attractive, not everyone will be interested. This story is pretty old though, so I didn't think about that much when I was a lot younger. Lee is a womanizer and Hwoarang is a young hormonal dude and just seems like someone that likes pretty girls regardless of race, so I didn't think it was a big deal while editing the story. Maybe I could've made Jin more reserved about his feelings. Still, I'll try to steer clear of a reverse harem in the future lol!]

OMAKE-just for amusement...

Monica nodded her approval and they both stood to clear the table. Before he left to meet back up with his subordinates, she smoothed her hands over his expensive suit, paying particular attention to the broad shoulders beneath it (she really loved how his powerful shoulders and chest tapered into such a small waist; his physique was gorgeous) her mind recalled what he had said to her about what the Zaibatsu means.

"So, Kazuya...I remember you sayin' that a zaibatsu is a giant, powerful, multinational conglomerate that holds a lot of control over the country's economy. I couldn't help but wonder somethin'..." She paused, eyes narrowing at him in disapproval. "Does that mean you're part of the Illuminati?"

The man's eyebrows rose sharply. "Th-the Illuminati?! You mean those crazy a** Satan worshippers?!"

**~FIN~**


End file.
